Home Sweet Home
by Psyc0gurl0
Summary: AU Modern. Outlaw Queen! Regina returns to Storybrooke to ask Robin for a divorce after leaving six years earlier. Full summary inside. Loosely based off of Sweet Home Alabama.
1. Chapter 1: Back To Storybrooke

**Title: Home Sweet Home**

 **Disclaimer:** **No one belongs to me if they did Zelena would've stayed dead and there would be no baby storyline.**

 **Couples:** Outlaw Queen, Snowing, Captain Swan, Rumbelle, Frankenwolf,  & a little StableQueen

 **Summary:** AU Modern. After finding a black box Regina knows her boyfriend, Daniel, is going to propose. The problem is she's still married to her High School Sweetheart Robin Locksley. Now, before Daniel proposes and finds out the truth Regina has to return to Storybrook to ask Robin for a divorce after leaving six years earlier. Back home she realizes what she really wants and what she's been missing all along. Based loosely off of Sweet Home Alabama.

 **Author's Note:** This is my first Once and Outlaw Queen story. After binge watching all four seasons, I fell in love with Outlaw queen. And also developed a passionate hatred of Zelena. So I had to write a story and this is what I came up with. I found that a lot of the stories were pretty intense and angsty and I thought some humor would be fun. Please review! I appreciate the feedback!

 **Chapter 1 Back To Storybrook  
**

Regina Mills was having an awful day. The worst kind of day where nothing seemed to be going right and there was no silver lining. She had woken up late for court, spilled coffee on her favorite white blazer, and had to cancel her training session because one of her clients had decided to break into their ex-wife's new boyfriend's apartment and urinate in his closet.

Finally she arrived home after a long day to realize she had forgotten most of the files she needed to work on back at the office.

If things couldn't get any worse she had found a little black box hidden in the cereal she reserved for shitty days. It was the cereal with way too much sugar and filled with artificial flavoring she was addicted to. She had one bowl every time she had a bad day, which was pretty infrequent, or when she did something particularly amazing. Like when she helped Mrs. Davis crush her cheating good for nothing husband in the divorce. Or when Mr. Fry had won the divorce case against his bitch of a wife and had gotten full custody of their children. She reserved the cereal for the difficult and the proud days.

Now, that she was staring down at the sugary substance her heart fluttered as she sat in front of the cereal she had poured into the porcelain bowl. The little black box sat on top of the colorful pieces of sugar and she had no idea what to think.

 _Whoever hid this ring doesn't know me very well._

Regina cringed at the thought knowing full well Daniel was the one who had hidden it, because he was planning on proposing. And in his defense he did know her well – well not as well as some people who would remain nameless, but still very well.

 _Oh shit._

The realization that he was going to propose to her hit her like a ton of bricks. She felt nauseous at the thought and she threw down her spoon into the dry cereal. She reached a hand forward to pick up the box and examine the contents, but she halted her action before she could complete it. She put her hand on the table and stared at the black box as if it were a bomb waiting to explode, and it kinda was.

As she sat staring at the box she suddenly heard the apartment door open and quicker than lightening she stuffed the black box back into the cereal container. She hurriedly put the sugary confection back into the container on top of it and then threw the box in the back of the cupboard before opening the refrigerator to pretend to be considering what to make for dinner.

"Regina!" A voice called out and she plastered on a happy smile before turning to face her boyfriend of three years.

"Daniel." She greeted kissing him briefly on the lips.

"I hope you're hungry. I brought home Chinese." He said waving the bag in front of her.

She tried to hold back her grimace and took the bag from him to put on the counter.

"I'll get some plates." She said hoping that he got soup, since she didn't particularly like Chinese. She liked Thai, Vietnamese, Cambodian, anything but Chinese and she'd reminded him enough times to where she hoped it would stick.

She listened as she got some plates out as Daniel yammered on about how his day went. She began to tune him out as she ate the broth of her Wonton Soup and her mind went back to the black ring box sitting in the cereal.

She wondered when he was going to propose or if he'd just bought it for when he finally planned to do it. She speculated whether it was an heirloom or he had picked it out himself. She pondered where he'd do it, in public or a private setting. She hoped it would be private, since she hated big displays.

But the biggest thing that she was thinking about was how the hell she was going to get Robin to sign the divorce papers.

It had been almost six years, since she had last seen him and despite sending him a set of newly minted divorce papers each and every year he refused to sign on the dotted line.

She'd changed the papers so that he kept the house they had once shared. She had changed the papers so that he was able to come out with more money. She even changed the papers so that she'd be the one walking out with nothing, but regardless of how she wrote the papers up he refused to sign.

She cringed inwardly at the thought that she was going to have to drive north to the one place she hated above all else. She was going to have to go home to Storybrook and demand he sign the papers.

Otherwise she wouldn't be able to say yes when Daniel finally proposed and she needed to say yes when he proposed because she loved him and he was perfect for her.

At least that was what she kept telling herself.

* * *

The wind whipped through Regina's hair as she zoomed down the highway and into the little town she had ran away from years before. She had told Daniel that she had to go out of town for a client. He wouldn't suspect anything and he couldn't ask since they were both lawyers and honored all of their clients' confidentiality. So the lie made it easy to sneak out of the city, rent a car, and drive north to Maine.

As she neared hell she could already taste the crisp fresh air that only Maine provided.

She thought about how Daniel was going to propose on the way up to Storybrook and as excited as she felt about what he had in store she felt odd about it.

It was the same sensation she received when she was in court and the other team was looking at her like the cat that ate the canary. They knew something she didn't and it was that feeling right before they unveiled their secret weapon that was eating at her. It was like something was missing and for the life of her she had no idea what.

She figured that it was the divorce that was long overdue with Robin that was bothering her and she needed to take care of it before Daniel found out or God Forbid his mother, the Mayor of New York. She shuddered at that thought and pressed harder on the gas pedal as if that would magically help her arrive in Storybrook quicker.

Daniel's mother already hated her, she couldn't even imagine what would happen if it got out that she had already been married – was still married to her high school sweetheart.

The marriage to Robin definitely needed to be taken care of. She figured she drive into town, go to Robin's house – their house – have him sign the papers, she'd stop for some food, then make the long drive back to New York.

It was planned perfectly and she was fully prepared to be in and out of Storybrook so fast no one would even know, especially her mother.

She was ready to make Robin sign the papers, especially because that allowed her to be with Daniel.

Forever.

Because she really wanted to be with him forever.

Not Robin. Daniel. Forever.

Except for the times when Daniel forgot to get the groceries or made her have long drawn out lunches with his mother, or when he brought home Chinese knowing she hated Chinese. Those times she didn't really wanna be with him forever.

Sometimes she found herself thinking of nights under the stars and by the fire drinking bad beer and telling stories together. Sometimes she thought about when Robin would come home with Italian, her favorite, or when he'd cook dinner for her. She remembered times when Robin would wake her up with soft kisses and surprise her with delicious coffee and Danishes.

She pushed those thoughts away and tried to concentrate on Daniel and the present.

Divorce Robin.

Marry Daniel.

Divorce Robin.

Marry Daniel.

Divorce Daniel.

Marry Robin.

Shit, she was so screwed up.

She turned on the radio for the remainder of the drive and tried to concentrate on thoughts that were neutral, like work, her calorie intake, and whether she should get a milkshake from Granny's. She tried not think of Robin or Daniel and she kind of succeeded, until she pulled up to the small rustic wooden home she had lived in for all of two years.

She sat in the car staring at the place she called home and felt the squiggling set of nerves take residence in her stomach. She grimaced and put a hand to her abdomen as if to calm herself. She closed her eyes and tried to do the deep breathing exercises to ease her anxiety, but nothing seemed to work. She realized with fright that she was about to walk into her husband's house and actually demand a divorce. Did she even want to get divorce?

 _Yes, Regina you do. Think about Daniel. Think about the life with Daniel. Two successful attorneys. One day Daniel will take the place of his mother as Mayor, or become a Senator. I'd be a high-powered divorce attorney. I would have everything I've ever wanted._

She took a deep breath grabbed her purse with the freshly minted Divorce papers she had taken the time to re-write, print, and put into a binder. She opened the door to her car, stepped out into the fresh Maine air, took a deep breath, and then proceeded to be hit with a stream of water drenching her two piece Tahari skirt suit and black Italian leather shoes.

Regina screamed in surprise and threw her hands up to cover herself, but the damage was done. The hose had been sprayed at her and she was sufficiently soaked.

"What the f—" she began opening her eyes to find herself standing face to face with a little boy with bright brown eyes and a mop of curly brown hair.

She blinked rapidly wondering if she'd pulled into the wrong house, but then they heard someone running toward them. She turned to let her eyes rest on her husband – soon to be ex-husband Robin Locksley.

She gulped taking in the familiarities and the changes in him. He was just as tall as she remembered, but he had scruff that had not been there when they were in their late teens. His hair was cut in the same way, but he had more muscles and was more built than she remembered. His eyes were the exact same, though and she saw the familiar warmth in them that always seemed to make her melt into a puddle.

"Regina." He said surprise evident in his tone.

"Robin." She greeted trying to look dignified despite her soaked outfit.

She watched as he walked toward the little boy and reached down to unpeel his tiny fingers from the hose.

She heard him say something quietly to the little boy and she felt a surge of envy. So Robin had moved on and had a child without her. He had moved on and still refused to sign the divorce papers.

She couldn't believe his gall. She felt the sudden onset of anger well up inside her and she opened her mouth to begin yelling at him for being such a selfish prick for knocking up some woman while they were still married, but he turned to her before she could utter a word.

The blue eyes that had haunted her dreams for years gazed at her with joy, she felt some of the anger melt.

She cleared her throat uncomfortably and tried to ignore the flip her stomach did when their eyes met.

"This is Roland." Robin said picking the little boy up.

"Hello, Roland." Regina said smiling slightly at him. She looked into his dark eyes and saw such childish innocence she felt her heart melt.

She had thought a lot about what their children would look like. She'd always hoped they would get Robin's smoldering blue eyes, but she knew because of genetics they'd presumably come out with brown ones. For a smidgen of a moment she wondered if this is what it would be like if they had gotten the chance to have kids. The three of them in the driveway, both men ganging up on Regina, Regina easily being melted by the soft pout and puppy eyes the child possessed. She stared at the child trying to see some inkling of Robin, but she saw nothing and a small part of her was thankful for it. The child took after his mother and Robin was nowhere to be seen in Roland. She wondered whether their children would look more like Robin. She shook her head and reminded herself why she was here.

"Can you say hello, Roland?" Robin said nodding at Regina.

Roland mumbled a shy hello and ducked his head into Robin's neck.

Regina smile slightly and then turned to Robin.

"So—" she began, but was swiftly cut off by Robin.

"What are you doing here? I would've thought you would be breaking up rich couples in New York." He said disdainfully.

She scowled and bit back an icy retort. When she had told him she wanted to be a lawyer when they were in High School he had encouraged her to be an Environmental lawyer or a Civil Rights lawyer. He had wanted her to do some good in the world and she had too, at the time. She wasn't sure how she ended up in Divorce, but it was good money and somehow along the way she'd forgotten about doing good and started concentrating on power and success.

But that was beside the point. She needed him and until she got what she wanted she knew she had to play nice.

"I need you to sign the divorce papers." She began reaching for her wet leather purse on her arm and digging through it to find the carefully put together binder.

"No can do, love. We've got plans." He said over enthusiastically.

Regina frowned, "what do you mean? It'll only take a second. Here I have a pen and everything."

She leaned forward and presented him with the binder and the papers.

Robin smirked and took a step back. "Sorry, love."

She watched incredulously as he took another step back and headed towards the truck parked in front of the house. She moved to go after him, but she slipped in her wet shoes and stumbled, righting herself before either Robin or Roland noticed.

"Wait! Robin! Please! Just sign the papers!" she called out as he put Roland in the truck.

She heard him laugh, but he didn't respond. Instead he ignored her and drove away in the old truck he'd had since they were in high school.

She stared after the truck feeling her stomach plummet to her toes as she realized her carefully laid plan had blown up in her face. She now had to spend more time in this hellhole than she'd planed. She cursed her fate, took off her shoes, and then stomped toward the house ready to prepare for the second battle when he came home. She refused to leave this town until Robin Locksley had signed the papers, that was her plan and she was sticking to it.

(A/n: So what do you think? Please review!)


	2. Chapter 2: Battle Number Two

**Author's Note:** I'm going to apologize now for the shitty format. I'm really sorry, ff wouldn't let me upload anything so I took one of my already uploaded docs and copied and pasted so I apologize again! I might change it when it finally lets me upload stuff. Anyway **thank you everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story!** I was really surprised at the feedback! So thank you so much! It is really appreciated! One thing I forgot to mention is that there's no Magic, it's AU with no magic. We'll find out all about the backstory, why Regina left, the origin of Roland, and the love story between Robin and Regina in the story. I forgot to mention that last chapter so I just wanted to let you guys know! Also there will be arguments between Robin and Regina for a good few chapters because I love their cat and dog fights. Just a forewarning. And there will be a happy ending! Please review!

 **Thank you to: Henley B, Guest, Outlawqueen108, sf hermit, Guest, Regalregina, lana447, angiefebles, ouatfangirlxoxo, Guest, Anny Rodrigues, Grace5231973, & RockaRosalie!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 2: Battle Number Two**

Regina angrily walked up the steps into the house she had once shared with Robin. She stood on the porch and looked around at the various knick-knacks that had been there six years earlier. She let her mind wander back to a time when they had gone shopping together for items for their new house. She let herself feel a moment of sadness at the innocence of shopping for her first house with her first love and then she moved forward.

She reached for the little green frog next to the 'Welcome' mate and cringed inwardly at the tacky item before reaching underneath it to produce a dusty key.

She grinned in triumph and pushed the key into the lock to open the door.

Walking into the house she felt like she was twenty years old again and coming home after a long day at the local community college. She felt all of the air go out of her lungs and she looked around at the living room that was the exact same from six years earlier.

The worn couch was still pushed up against the wall. There was a coffee table in the middle of the room that was littered with beer bottles and empty boxes of take out. There was still the tacky armchair that Robin would come and sit in after a long day at the Rabbit Hole.

She breathed in the homey smell of the house and she hated how at home she felt coming into the room. It was like she had never left. Except now there were toys in the corner of the living room and she noticed there were some pictures on the bookshelf behind the TV.

She went over to investigate the pictures, curious to know what Roland's mother looked like. As she walked over to the pictures she hoped that whoever the woman was didn't live here. She didn't want the woman to walk into the house and think she was a thief of anything – yes that was the only reason she hoped that woman didn't live in this house. It wasn't because she didn't want another woman sharing the home she had built with Robin. She cringed at that thought knowing if she ever voiced it she would sound like the hypocritical insane wife, soon to be ex-wife.

She leaned around the TV to look at the first picture and smiled when she saw one of Roland and Robin at what looked like one of the many festivals in town. If Regina had to guess she would think it was the Miner's Day Festival since they were both holding candles. She moved on to the next picture and saw one of Robin's grandmother and sister. She touched the picture fondly, remembering all of the fun times that she and Ruby had, had together.

Regina sighed sadly thinking of her old friend. Ruby was the one responsible for getting her and Robin together in the first place. Regina had befriended Ruby when they were in grade school together. Back then Regina had, had the biggest crush on Robin, but she was so shy she couldn't muster up the courage to speak with him. As time passed Ruby had caught on to her friend's crush and had begun to play matchmaker. By the time they were fourteen Robin had taken notice of Regina and the rest as they say was history.

Or at least until Regina left Storybrooke.

She moved on to the next picture and frowned not immediately recognizing the two people in it. She reached for the picture and brought it closer so she could inspect the two people in the frame. Well, three if she counted the little baby held in the woman's arms.

She stared at the picture mentally looking through her brain to match a name with a face and then a memory of getting drunk at a party in the woods with Ruby Locksley, Victor Whale, Mary Margaret Blanchard, Emma Swan, Killian Jones, Little John Hood, David & James Nolan, and Robin came back to her. She remembered that a few younger students had joined them, one of them being the woman in the picture Marian something or other. She frowned looking at the man and realized with shock that it was Little John, about fifty pounds heavier than when she saw him last. She frowned wondering why there was a photo of Little John, Marian, and a baby with the other pictures.

She moved to put it back, but froze when two pictures caught her eye. She traded the framed photograph for the two tucked shyly behind the other pictures. She held them close to her face, but there was no need since she recognized the people in the picture immediately.

They were both of her and Robin.

One was on their wedding day eight years earlier a few days after her eighteenth birthday. The other was when they had first started going out and Robin had asked her to the Homecoming Dance freshman year of High School. She gulped feeling an unfamiliar bubble of emotion form in her throat. She felt as if she were choking on it. She closed her eyes and began her deep breathing exercises hoping to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling that was taking residence in her chest.

She remembered that dance so clearly, much clearer than her wedding. At her wedding Robin had still been drunk from his bachelor party the night before and had puked on her dress. She had gone to the reception alone while Robin had slept it off in one of Granny's rooms. They had gotten one picture of them together and that was straight after the ceremony moments before he had upchucked the remainder of his fun night.

She remembered being so angry and heartbroken. She remembered Mary Margaret's father – her step-father – dancing with her because he felt bad for her. She remembered how her mother had repeatedly told her that marrying a good for nothing loser, like Robin would destroy her future. She wondered if she should've known that, that would foreshadow their marriage together.

She moved to the older picture and sighed wistfully as she gazed at her happy expression in the picture of them at Homecoming. She remembered how Robin had shyly asked her and how they had been late because they had to walk. She remembered her feet hurting because of those stupid heels and how Mary Margaret had spilled punch on her dress. But the one thing she remembered above all else was Robin kissing her when he dropped her off that night. It had been such a gentle kiss – her first kiss – and she remembered how nervous she had been. She remembered the feeling of her stomach filling with butterflies and she remembered how her mother had opened the door right as they had broken apart. Cora had chased Robin away, but he had been back the next day with some flowers he had stolen from one of her neighbor's gardens.

She remembered how ecstatic she felt.

She stuffed the pictures back where she found them and went to sit on the couch trying to ignore the mesh of feelings that were swirling around her. She tried to remember that she had Daniel and she was happy, but she couldn't help to think about how happy she had been once upon a time with Robin.

Before she could delve back into her regrets, hopes, and memories of days past she heard the familiar growl of his truck pulling into the driveway. She heard him groan and stifle a swear before opening the screen door and banging into the house.

His face was tight with anger as he gazed at her sitting on his couch in her still wet clothes. She smirked knowing she was probably ruining the couch, but not particularly caring, since he wasn't doing what she had so politely asked of him.

"I figured you'd be gone by now." He snapped moodily placing Roland on the ground.

They watched as he ran for his toys in the corner and picked up two action figures before giving them different voices.

"I'm not leaving until you sign these." She announced producing the binder of divorce papers again.

Robin gritted his teeth and looked over at Roland who was beginning to make a little village out of Legos and blocks.

"Roland, can you go to your room, please? I need to talk to Regina." Robin said going toward the little boy.

Roland looking between Regina and Robin and then smiled shyly. To both of their surprises he moved from his little play area and toward Regina.

"I'm sorry I sprayed you with water." Roland said looking up at her with big brown eyes.

She smiled down at him and wondered how anyone could be angry at that adorable face.

"It's fine, Roland, but thank you for apologizing." She said sweetly.

Then to her even greater surprise he moved forward and wrapped his arms around her in a little hug. She hesitantly returned the hug and then he withdrew his arms, gave her one last smile, and ran upstairs. They listened to him thud up the stairs and then Robin turned to her, his arms crossed, and she knew he had asked Roland to leave so that they could have their second battle. Regina was thankful for it, she hated when her mother and step-father argued even though she hated him.

"Regina—" Robin began, but was interrupted with the little feet thudding back down the steps and rushing into the living room. Roland ran toward the corner with his toys and grabbed the two action figures he had been playing with before and then went back upstairs.

They waited a beat before Regina dove into the conversation wanting to get her point across before Robin could side track her.

"I just need you to sign the papers and then I'll be out of here. I promise, just sign the papers." She pleaded holding up the binder and wiggling it.

Robin scowled down at her and leaned against the wall across from her. "Do your parents even know you're here? Does Mary Margaret?" he asked and she sighed heavily.

He was always deflecting what she _wanted_ to talk about and always went directly for what she _should_ be talking about or doing. He was always going on about the right thing. The right thing – and she already knew he'd tell her this within the next few minutes – was to go see her family and then demand a divorce from her estranged husband. In that exact order. Family always came first with Robin and that was one of the reasons she loved him, but now she found it really annoying because all she wanted to do was be in and out of Storybrooke without seeing her smarmy step-father, malevolent mother, and syrupy step-sister.

"Robin, I don't want to fight. I just need you to sign these papers." She said trying to remain calm. She knew if she let him get her off track he'd never sign the papers and she'd never get out of Maine. She needed to stay calm, collected, and on task.

 _Focus Regina, just get him to sign the papers._

"And I needed you for the last six years. I needed you to deal with reality instead of running to New York. I was hurting too, you know. You don't heal from something like that overnight." He growled angrily.

She gritted her teeth and stood up throwing the papers on the coffee table before advancing toward him.

 _Screw it. I could never stay calm and collected around Robin._

"I see you've healed just fine. What's her name?" Regina bite out and groaned inwardly for unleashing her inner green-eyed monster.

Robin's brow furrowed not understanding what she was referring too and when he didn't answer fast enough Regina rolled her eyes.

"Roland. His mother. You obviously didn't miss me that much. So just—" Regina began.

Robin let out a loud bitter laugh and leaned further into the wall. "You have no idea what you are talking about. God, how could you even…I did miss you. I missed you _every day_ , but seeing what you've become…" He trailed off not able to finish his thought as he stared down at her in antipathy.

Regina frowned and took a step closer to him, "What do you mean?"

She tried to ignore the look of repugnance on his face, but it was difficult to do. She knew she deserved it after the way she had treated and left him, but she had hoped…God she had no idea what she had hoped for. Nothing like this, that was for sure.

Robin shook his head and moved around her. She watched as he went for the fridge and took out a beer. "Just leave Regina. Go see your family. Think about something other than your own agenda."

Regina let out a frustrated noise and followed him into the kitchen. "My agenda is getting you to sign the papers. I'm not asking anything difficult. Just—"

"You know, you've changed." He stated cutting her off.

She scowled at him and moved to stand in front of the doorway effectively blocking him.

"You're right, I have changed. I realized how much I was wasting my potential here. So I left. I moved on. I'm finally happy! I finally made something of myself!

Now, I'm asking you to sign the damn papers and then you'll never see me again." She promised trying to ignore the twinge of pain at her own words. She needed to treat this like a band-aid. Tell it like it is, anger him enough, and then he'd react. She'd worry about her own pain later.

He stared at her and she wondered for a brief moment if she'd gotten through to him.

"I'll sign your damn papers when you finally remember who you really are. Not this stuck up, hoity-toity, gluttonous New York lawyer. You used to want to help people. What happened to you?"

"I'm not leaving until you sign these papers, Robin! Just sign the damn papers!" she yelled losing the last remains of her cool exterior.

She was angry, still soaked in her suit, and irritated that he was making her suffer just because he liked watching her suffer.

Robin let out a low chuckle and shook his head. He pushed past her and she watched as he left the room and went up the stairs. She pondered whether she should follow him, but then she figured if she sat on the couch long enough he'd come back downstairs and they could go at it again.

She moved to sit down on the couch, but was barely sitting for more than fifteen minutes when the glow of red and blue flashed through the windows. She stood up uneasily and turned towards the thudding sound on the stairs to see Robin coming down with a smirk on his face.

"You called the cops?" she asked incredulously.

"You're trespassing." He stated enjoying the rage written all over her face.

"How could you?! What the hell! I can't believe you! I'm just asking for one thing! I just want a divorce!" she yelled taking a step toward him.

Robin chuckled and moved toward the front door when the Sheriff knocked.

Regina moved to run out the back door, but was stopped by a female voice shouting her name.

She turned around surprised to hear the familiar voice. Her eyes landed on none other than Emma Swan, her step-sister's best friend and she knew she wasn't going to be able to sneak out of town like she so wanted to do. She shot Robin a glare and his smirk widened in return. She hated how he knew her plans were now ruined and it was all because of him.

(A/n: So what did you think? Please review!)


	3. Chapter 3: Best Friend of the Scorned Va

**Author's Note:** Thank you everyone so much for the reviews, favoriting, following, and reading! You guys are awesome and I find the feedback very helpful! I'm glad everyone is liking the fic so far too it's been a lot of fun to write! The big question of who is Roland to Robin is answered in this chapter! i hope you guys like it! Please let me know what you think!

 **Thank you to: Anny Rodrigues, TheKween, x Evil Queen x, JustFangirlingit, LilieVdk,, Outlawqueen108, dakota1979, Cat, Sparkles21, ouatfangirlxoxo, Grace5231973, Guest, Henley B, & lana447!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 3 Best Friend of the Scorned Variety**

"Holy Shit! Regina Mills!" Emma shrieked again and launched herself at the divorce lawyer.

Regina stumbled back and awkwardly hugged Emma, surprised at the warm greeting.

The last time she had seen Emma they had been at a bad attempt at Girl's Night to cheer her up, where she had a huge meltdown and basically told everyone to go fuck themselves.

That was six years ago.

And the Emma Regina knew didn't hug.

At all.

She was very closed off emotionally, but now it was like she was a huge teddy bear.

Not for the first time she wondered how much she had missed.

"How the hell are you?" Emma asked breaking away and looking her up and down to take in the changes. Regina watched her face turn from happiness to confusion at her state of dress.

"And what the hell are you wearing? A suit? Really?" Emma asked scrunching up her nose.

"Can you please arrest her, Emma? She broke into my house!" Robin whined from his perch near the stairs.

" _Our_ house actually. And I used a key. No breaking and entering. I am very law abiding." Regina announced producing the key from her blazer pocket.

Emma looked back and forth between them. "So…Regina used a key to get in? _That's_ why you called me, Robin? I know we live in a small town, but I do actually work, you know"

Robin sighed in annoyance, "she's breaking and entering! She showed up at my house and then breaks in when I leave. She could've scared Roland! Or she could've stole from me! This is against the law! Don't you dare buy her law abiding citizen act! You know how she is."

"Yeah I know how she is! She's the one that every time we'd get drunk would steal our car keys and make sure no one drove home. I also remember that she would never get wasted enough for anyone to take care of her. She was always the mom when we got drunk. Al-Al-Always-In-C-C-Control-Re-Re-Regina." Emma sang the nickname they had come up with in High School.

Regina grimaced at the nickname, "please don't."

Robin smirked at the irritation on her face.

Regina glared at him and returned to the matter at hand, "I didn't scare anyone! It's not like I was waving a knife at you and your son when I came into the house! I was merely sitting on the couch waiting for you so that we could finish our discussion."

"Son?" Emma asked confused, but was ignored due to the ex-couple glaring at each other. She rolled her eyes. Some things never really changed. Even when they were angry at each other they still only had eyes for each other.

" _Merely sitting on the couch?_ You basically jumped on me to sign the papers! What's the big rush, Regina? Why do you need a divorce now after all of this time?" Robin demanded.

"It's been six years! And I've tried to get you to sign before! I want to move on with my life! Just sign the damn papers! Emma, make him sign the papers!" Regina snarled looking at the Sheriff who was watching their arguing like a tennis match.

"You know, I remember when you guys finally started dating and we could all breath again because there was finally no more sexual tension. I didn't realize I'd be having to deal with your it again years later." Emma remarked ignoring their glares.

"We never had sexual tension!" Regina protested.

"You guys were always so cute together. Hey! Do you guys remember that time when we were in the woods playing Truth or Dare and Ruby—"

"Memory Lane is closed right now, Emma. Please just arrest her and take her out of my house." Robin snapped shutting Emma up.

" _Our_ house, since we're still married it's _my_ house too, so she can't arrest me." Regina stated triumphantly.

Robin scowled at her, "Isn't there something you can do, Emma? Please, just make her leave."

Emma shrugged a smirk on her face as she enjoyed the discomfort between the two of them. They were always so much fun to watch when they argued.

"She's right. There's nothing I can do. Why don't you just do what she wants?" Emma asked thoughtfully.

Robin grumbled and glared at the two women. "Just make her leave."

"I will only when—"

"If you keep shouting you're going to wake Roland from his nap!" Robin yelled cutting her off.

Regina opened her mouth to respond, but closed it torn between wanting to continuing yelling at Robin and wanting to be quiet for the sake of Roland. She settling on making some annoyed noises and huffing.

"How about Regina you leave the papers, Robin can have his lawyer look over them and we can go see Mary Margaret." Emma placated. She moved toward Regina who had the papers still in hand and pried her fingers off of them before turning to Robin and stuffing them in his crossed arms.

"There everyone is happy. Let's go see everyone! We've missed you so much!" Emma exclaimed putting an arm around Regina and steering her toward the door.

"Wait! What! No! Emma he needs—"

"Yes, yes, but let's go see your family and friends before you disappear for another six years." Emma said cutting her off.

Regina struggled to free herself of Emma's clutches, but Emma had a tight hold on her and all she managed to do was struggle, twist, and turn so the last thing she saw was Robin's smirking face.

* * *

After Regina changed into a pair of slacks and a white blouse they ended up at Granny's, which Regina was okay with since she actually had wanted to stop at Granny's. She was pushed into a booth with Emma and Mary Margaret drinking tepid coffee and picking at some cold French fries she knew she shouldn't be eating.

While Emma filled Mary Margaret in on what had happened at Robin's house Regina looked around the diner looking for either Ruby or Granny, curious to know how the reception was going to be with them when they saw her after so much time. And also knowing she was trying to divorce their brother and grandson, respectively.

"We've missed you so much!" Mary Margaret kept gushing once Emma had finished her story. Regina cringed inwardly wanting to fight past Emma to escape from the overdose of care that seemed to ooze from her Step-sister.

"What have you been up to?" she asked eagerly when Regina didn't return the sentiment. "I know we talk a few times a year, but it's not the same until I actually get to see you face to face." She added.

Regina sighed wondering how Mary Margaret could see them speaking literally three times a year for under five minutes as talking. They talked on each other's birthdays and Christmas and that was it. And it was basically 'Happy Insert-Holiday-Here' and click.

Regina kept it like that, since she'd never really gotten along with her perfectly cheerful Disney Princess Wannabe Step-sister. Mary Margaret on the other hand had always looked up to Regina and wanted a relationship with her. Regina just shut her down every time she thought Mary Margaret was opening up to her. Regina had never wanted a sister and she definitely didn't want Mary Margaret for a sister, but she had come to terms with it after their parents had married and there was literally no way out of it. Even moving hours away hadn't cured Mary Margaret of her desire to sisterly-bond.

"Everything is fine." Regina said sipping her coffee.

"How's everyone here?" she asked after a pause and Mary Margaret and Emma began to speak at once.

"David and I are getting married!" Mary Margaret gushed.

"I'm a Sheriff now! How cool is that!" Emma exclaimed in unison.

Regina tried to smile at them. She was happy for them, they were living such fairytale lives, but there was also a small part of her that was envious of them for having everything they wanted so easily.

She had always thought that having Robin was enough. He loved her and that should be sufficient, but after everything that had happened she had realized that love wasn't always enough.

With Daniel she tried to tell herself that he was enough, but for some reason she couldn't lie to herself about this. It wasn't just love between them. She trusted him and that was what was important, he had ambition for their future, and he made her want to be better. Daniel was enough on some level, but it still felt like something was missing.

He didn't look at her as if she were his entire world. He didn't know when she was putting walls up to protect herself. He didn't truly see her, like some people did.

But like with most things she missed about her past, she missed the lingering looks and the one who had the willpower and desire to knock her towering walls down. She missed the blue eyes that saw right through her down to her soul. She wanted her happy ending just like her friends, but she wondered if she really ever could have one after how she had left things.

But she could have the happy ending with Daniel and that was what she wanted after all. That was why she was in Storybrooke to put her past behind her and look to the future.

"What about you? Are you seeing anyone? Is that why you're suddenly demanding this divorce?" Emma asked slyly.

Regina frowned not sure how to respond. "Emma…I know you're going to tell Robin everything I tell you. Hell, between the both of you there wouldn't be a detail left out."

"Not true!" Emma protested, "We can keep secrets! At least I can."

Regina looked away and over to one of the waitresses trying to juggle several plates of food.

"Yes I'm seeing someone. His name is Daniel. He's very nice." Regina said primly.

There was silence at the table and she turned back to look at both of them. She frowned when she noticed they weren't looking at her and she looked over her shoulder and found herself face to face with Ruby. She felt the air get knocked out of her lungs as her eyes found Ruby's and she saw the hurt there. Ruby always had a bad habit of wearing her heart on her sleeve.

"Regina?" Ruby breathed in astonishment.

Regina moved out of the booth and stood in front of her old friend, the uncomfortable feeling of guilt settling into her stomach as she looked at her for the first time in six years. She thought back to the numerous times Ruby had called through the years until finally the calls began to taper off. The guilt increased and she suddenly felt sick.

"How are you?" Regina asked not knowing what else to say.

"How am I? That's what you ask after six years?" Ruby snarled her expression going from hurt to anger within seconds.

Regina looked down at the table where Emma and Mary Margaret sat looking as if they'd rather be anywhere else.

"I'm sorry, Ruby it's—"

"Save it Regina. You know, I tried calling you for years! Years! The only person you'd talk to was Mary Margaret and that's because she's your sister—"

"Step-sister." Regina mumbled.

"Sister. She cares about you. We all do. And we all did after what had happened. We still do. When you left, you didn't just leave Robin, you left all of us. We missed you – I missed you – every single day and then you come back here on some agenda. I bet you were just going to slid into town and ignore all the people that care about you. I loved you like a sister, Regina, and you up and left. Do you know how much that hurts?" Ruby snarled furiously hurt lacing her tone.

Regina opened her mouth to respond to try and make up for her actions six years previously, but there was nothing she could say. Ruby was right, she had hurt a lot people.

"I'm sorry, Ruby. I really am." Regina said quietly.

Ruby let out a sardonic laugh and rolled her eyes. "Prove it then. Fix the mess you made. You hurt a lot of people, Regina."

Regina looked away and tried to ignore the numerous eyes that were on her. "I-I'm only going to be here for a little while I don't—"

"If you cared about any of us at all – your family you'd stay and make what you did right. You hurt Robin a lot! You ran, Regina. And let me guess why you're here, you finally got tired of him sending the divorce papers back. You didn't even come here to try to fix how you left things. Instead, it's all about you, isn't it?" Ruby yelled.

"Ruby…I was hurting too, you know. It was—"

"I know, and I'm sorry that happened, but that's what you have family for. To help you heal." Ruby shook her head and turned on her heel to leave the diner unable to look at the woman she had called her best friend for years.

Regina watched her go feeling worse than she'd felt in a long time. Ruby was right and she had spent a very long time denying it.

She looked over at Mary Margaret and Emma who were looking anywhere, but at her.

"Maybe you should go apologize." Mary Margaret commented.

Regina shook her head, "and say what? She's right. I did leave everyone, not just Robin. I should at least try to make things right while I'm stuck here waiting for Robin to sign the papers. I mean, I could apologize and explain myself at least with Ruby, but with Robin…it doesn't matter because he moved on and so have I."

Mary Margaret frowned, "is that what you think? And what do you mean he's moved on. He's not dating anyone."

"His son, Roland—"

"Roland?"

"Regina, Roland isn't Robin's. He's Little John's and Marien's." Mary Margaret said quickly.

Regina frowned confused, "But he lives with Robin."

"Robin is his Godfather. About two years ago he got custody of Roland when Little John and Marien died leaving for a vacation. He's had to raise him all by himself."

Regina felt her stomach plummet even more and if possible she felt worse. Suddenly she was overcome with the need to make everything right. Maybe she'd be staying in Storybrooke longer than she thought, which wouldn't be such a bad thing if she could at least salvage some of the relationship she held so deer long ago. Ruby was right she had made a right mess of things when she had left and maybe it was time to fix it.

(A/n: So what do you think? Please review! More about the past next chapter! and more Outlaw queen sexual tension!)


	4. Chapter 4: Backfire

**Author's Note:** Thank you so much for taking the time out to review and read the story! I'm glad everyone is enjoying it! I love writing it! This chapter doesn't have much Outlaw Queen, but there will be more next chapter! I'm sorry for the lack of sexual tension in the chapter, it's more on Regina's feelings, but next chapter lots of sexual tension! I promise! This chapter kind of got away from me and I needed to show more background stuff etc. Please let me know what you think!

 **Thank you to:marjlocksleyxxi, ouatfangirlxoxo, Anny Rodrigues, brookeAp3, chairunnisa, TailoredForOQ, Sparkles21, Outlawqueen108, Grace5231973, Guest, Henley B, FraiseDandelion, Guest, & lana447!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 4: Backfire  
**

Regina sighed in agitation as her phone vibrated in her purse. She hoped that it wasn't one of her clients who were calling to tell her they needed help, but when she took it out of her pocket and saw that it was Daniel she hated herself a little bit for wishing it wasn't him either.

She cleared her throat counted down from five and then answered it putting on a cheery tone.

"Sweetheart!" Daniel greeted as if he hadn't heard from her in days, instead of just having seen her that morning when she left.

"Daniel. Is something wrong?" she asked.

"I was just wondering when you were coming home. I have some work related dinners that I need to arrange and I want to make sure you are coming home within the next few days. If I make one for Monday, does that work?" he asked.

She bit her lip and quickly wondered what to say. "Daniel, there's something I have to tell you."

"Oh no, you are coming home soon, right? I really need your advice on some things and—"

"I am coming home, but…I lied." She blurted out closing her eyes briefly and hoping he wouldn't be too upset with her.

"Lied? About what?" he asked confused.

"I…well…I didn't have a client issue…I…I went home. To Storybrooke." She said wincing as the other end remained quiet.

"Why?"

"Well…my…cousin is divorcing his wife and I needed to help…him." She stuttered.

"Oh! Well why didn't you say so. Take as long as you need Regina. I'll just take my mother along to the dinners. It's fine, help your family. Maybe I can come down and visit? I'd love to see—"

"No, no, Daniel! It's quite alright. I'll be back home in a few days. Well maybe a week. Say hi to your mother for me." Regina said quickly.

"Oh, well, alright. I-I'll see you soon. I love you."

"You too."

She hung up quickly and breathed a sigh of relief. She hated lying to him, but at least she had told him part of the truth. Although it wasn't the entire truth it was at least part of it.

She straightened her blouse, flipped her hair, and began to walk towards her old childhood home. She felt an uncomfortable twisted feeling take residence in her stomach. She hated how uncomfortable she got before she saw her mother. But she knew that if she didn't announce her presence to her mother she would be getting an earful about hearing how she was in town from someone else for the rest of her life. And Regina just didn't wanna deal with that, so going to her mother and facing it head on was the best thing to do. Although, because of small town life her mother probably already knew she was there.

She hesitantly knocked on the door and waited patiently. The door opened almost immediately as her step-father beamed down at her.

"Well if it isn't little Regina! We heard you were coming!" Leopold announced ushering her inside.

She cursed Mary Margaret's big mouth and stiffened as he hugged her. She backed away looking around the unchanged living room.

"Your mother is in the kitchen." He said gesturing to the couch.

"Hello, mother!" Regina called.

"Do not yell, Regina. Come greet me." Cora said coming into the living room looking dismayed.

Regina gave her a timid smile and moved toward her to kiss her on her cheek.

"Good. Now how about some tea? Catherine, can you please bring us some tea?" Cora called into the kitchen.

Cora gestured toward the couches and reluctantly Regina took a seat. Cora sat across from her and they waited until Catherine brought the tray of tea to begin their conversation.

Regina shifted uncomfortably feeling as if she were sixteen again and being made to have tea with her mother.

 _A lady never misses her teatime._

She had been reprimanded enough times to know.

Catherine finally brought the tray of tea and in unison mother and daughter moved forward. She took a cup of tea and doctored it the way she wanted before leaning back into her chair and waiting for her mother to finish readying her own tea.

"Now dear, what brings you for a visit after _six_ years? What could possibly drag you here from your _busy_ little life in New York?" Cora asked a saccharine smile planted on her lips.

Regina shifted her weight on the couch. "Visiting. I thought it was high time I came home...See how everyone was doing."

"Oh so when Leopold had surgery to remove some cancerous tissue from his body and I needed support you couldn't be bothered to come and visit. Or when Mary Margaret got hit by that car and wound up in a coma you couldn't come visit. Or how about when I asked you to come visit for every holiday since you left and you conveniently had something else to do? Do tell me Regina, what has made it so important for you to come visit _now_?" Cora asked keeping the same light tone.

Regina looked away feeling uncomfortably guilty because of her mother's words. It was true she hadn't visited during all of those important events, but she also hated this town and that seemed to trump what happened in the last six years. She knew her mother was upset, had been every time Regina had said she had something else to do instead of visit. She had her reasons though and as many times as Regina had avoided coming to Storybrooke her mother had done the same thing when she asked for them to come to New York.

"I met a man, who I love." She said finally.

Cora snorted and drank some of her tea. "Another man you _love_? Come now, Regina, you _loved_ Robin and look how well that worked out."

"Well this is different."

"I'm sure."

There was a long pause and neither mother nor daughter spoke. Leopold looked back and forth between them knowing after many years to let them fight it out without interruption.

"Who is this man?" Cora asked finally.

"He's a lawyer and his mother is the mayor of New York."

Cora raised an eyebrow in interest and looked over at Leopold who was watching them as intently as he did when he watched Golf.

"Really, now?" Cora murmured curiously.

Regina nodded sipping some tea for lack of anything better to do.

"Well maybe you'll finally marry the right one after all."

Regina frowned at her wording and in return Cora simpered at the look on her daughter's face.

"Regina, sweetheart, it's the truth. You can't deny it. I mean you've been separated from the man for _six_ years. It didn't work out, sometimes these things happen. What's this man's name?" Cora asked.

"Daniel." Regina mumbled her mind stuck on what Cora had just said. They _had_ been separated for six years and it _hadn't_ worked out. Why did she care what her mother had said? She only spoke the truth.

Then again Cora had never liked Robin. When they had began dating Cora would always tell Regina she could do so much better and that she should find someone else who she had more in common with. Cora continuously told Regina she needed to get out of Storybrooke and see the world. But Regina loved Robin and that was all that mattered. Well, initially that was all that mattered. And then Regina had to ultimately accept that her mother was right. She needed someone who was more similar to her, who had the same interests and same drive.

"That's a nice name. When will we meet him?" Cora asked.

"I'm not sure." Regina said putting her empty cup on the coffee table.

"Well if you love him I'd really like for you to invite him to come visit. Maybe this weekend?" Cora asked a hint of demand coloring her tone.

"I don't think so." Regina said shaking her head.

"Why not?" Cora demanded to know finally dropping all of the niceties.

Regina sighed already sensing an argument, "because he's working."

"Well invite him anyway. He can take time off." Cora suggested.

"Mother—"

"I would like to meet this man who has stolen my daughter's heart. Or is there something else going on that I should be aware of? Is there a reason you don't want him here?" Cora asked smirking as Regina bite her lip in anxiety.

"He doesn't know about Robin." Regina said finally.

Cora raised an eyebrow and sipped at her tea. "You didn't tell him about your shotgun wedding? And your disappointment of a husband?"

Regina scowled at her mother's words. She felt the familiar sharp pain that penetrated through her whenever she heard her mother speak ill of Robin. It was true that he hadn't been the best husband, but they were young and she knew if they were married now it would be different. Well, she hoped it would be different. But she wouldn't know anyway because she loved Daniel now. And it was probably a good time to stop thinking of Robin.

She looked over at Leopold and said that he had fallen asleep sometime during their conversation.

"Anyway, I just wanted to let you know I will be staying for a few days. There are some things I need to take care of." She said briskly not having any desire to talk about anything they had previously discussed.

"Like your divorce?"

Regina narrowed her eyes, but nodded regardless. She knew she couldn't escape her mother's questions. "Like that."

Cora clapped her hands together and beamed, "well then, would you like to stay in your old room?"

"Mother that isn't neces—"

"Of course it is! You are my daughter. I won't put you out. Where are your things? We'll put them up there now and then we can have dinner."

"My things are in my car, which is at Granny's." Regina said sheepishly.

Cora sighed heavily, "Regina, really, you always have to be so difficult. Are you having dinner with us?"

"Well I was going—"

"Wonderful, I'll invite Mary Margaret. It can be like how it used to, before you left." Cora said leaving the room before Regina could argue.

Regina let out a long slow breath, closed her eyes, and counted down to ten. So far nothing seemed to be going to plan and now she was stuck having dinner with her estranged family.

She looked over at Leopold watching as drool pooled down his face, and he gave a particularly loud snort.

She sighed and went to go retrieve her things knowing she wasn't getting out of dinner let alone staying with her mother.

(A/n: What did you think? Next up more Outlaw queen! Sexual tension! And Dimples Queen!)


	5. Chapter 5: Bittersweet Shame

**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed last chapter! I really appreciate the feedback! You guys are amazing! This chapter is longer and has more OQ than the last one. I hope you guys like it! I know the last chapter was more of an interlude, so I hope this is better. Please review!

 **Thank you to:marjlocksleyxxi, TheKween, NarcissaMinerva, Guest, & Grace5231973! **

**Chapter 5: Bittersweet Shame**

Dinner that night was an awkward affair to say the least. Cora kept asking her daughter about this new man in her life, Daniel, and Regina kept trying to dodge the questions. She didn't want to divulge too much information, since David and Robin had been best friends for most of their life and she knew David had as big of a mouth as his fiancé.

Leopold watched silently from his position at the head of the table, while mother and daughter bickered. Mary Margaret tried to intervene with a nice word here and there, but Cora pointedly ignored her and Regina didn't have the energy to placate her step-sister. David, who Mary Margaret had of course brought along –

because let's face it neither could go anywhere without the other – and stayed just as quiet as Leopold. Although Regina noticed him watching her with curious eyes.

She knew without a doubt he'd tell Robin of this very awkward dinner.

Finally, as dessert was being served Cora addressed the one topic Regina would've preferred never to be acknowledged at any time, whatsoever, dinner or no dinner ever again. The topic could've stayed not acknowledge forever and she wouldn't been a very happy woman.

But if there was one thing her mother loved doing it was getting under her skin and telling her daughter what was best for her.

"So, Regina, have you seen Robin?" Cora asked casually making Regina stiffen at the question.

They had danced around the topic earlier in the day when Cora had made her opinion of Robin clear – an opinion that hadn't changed in all the years they'd been together – but Regina had steered her away, since the last thing she wanted to do was discuss this with her mother.

Now, was no different. She still had no desire to discuss Robin, especially in front of an audience. A big mouthed audience no less.

Her mind went back to the morning, which felt so very long ago, and the confrontation she had with her soon to be ex-husband in the driveway and then later in the house. She wondered briefly what he was currently doing and if he had become a better cook than when they had lived together. She pushed those thoughts of out of her head and tried to concentrate on the conversation she was trying to avoid having.

"Yes, I have." Regina said reluctantly.

"He's taking care of his Godson, Roland, did you know?" Cora asked looking at Mary Margaret in confusion since she was biting her lip to hold what seemed to be laughter in.

"Mary Margaret, what is so funny?" Cora demanded.

"Well…" Mary Margaret cast a hesitant look at Regina before continuing on much to Regina's chagrin.

"Regina thought Roland was his." Mary Margaret said finally.

Cora chuckled and looked at her daughter in pity. "Really, Regina? How badly did you embarrass yourself?"

Regina scowled, "It was an honest mistake. Any of you would've assumed the same thing."

"We wouldn't have stayed away for six years either." David responded, saying the first thing all night.

Regina glared at him, but he met her glare full on knowing how much Regina's departure had hurt his friend.

Regina couldn't blame him. If someone had hurt Ruby or Emma the way she'd hurt Robin she'd probably hate them too. Hell, even Mary Margaret she'd seek revenge on the culprit.

She felt then an overwhelming urge to do right by the people she had hurt. She realized in a sudden moment of clarity that she had not only just hurt Robin, but the people around him too, just like Ruby had said. She hadn't just left Robin when she fled Storybrooke, but everyone else that claimed to love her as well. She felt shameful of her younger self and she felt a desperate desire to make things right.

The combined force of Ruby's words, David's loyal glares, and her mother's tactless comments made Regina think about the people she'd left behind and what she could do to fix things.

"I hope you apologized, Regina. Manners." Cora said giving her a pointed look.

Regina looked down feeling the sharpening of guilt settle in her stomach. She hadn't apologized and she knew she should. She needed to make a lot of apologies. She had been hurt at the time of her departure, but she had left pain in her wake as well.

"You don't even like him." Regina snipped annoyed that it seemed that everyone was ganging up on her. She was getting defensive she knew, but she always had when she was feeling attacked.

Cora sighed heavily, similarly to how she used to when Regina was younger and would ask too many questions.

"But he is your husband—"

"Soon to be ex."

"And as much as I don't like him, I can admit he is a good man. He did take care of you after the incident and he seems to have held a burning torch for you, since you left so…" Cora shrugged and poured some tea to sip on with the coffee cake she had served.

Regina looked over at Mary Margaret and David who were studiously avoiding her gaze and shoving fork-fulls of coffee cake into their mouths.

She frowned and sighed before digging into her own cake, but she'd lost her appetite. She had already vowed to make things right after she left years before, but apologizing was never her forte and she knew without a doubt she needed to do so. Not just for assuming Roland was his and making an ass out of herself, but also for leaving years earlier. She also knew she had to find Ruby to apologize, and eventually she'd need to do so with Cora as well. There were a lot of apologizes that needed to be thrown around and there was a lot that needed to be fixed.

* * *

The next morning Regina woke up early and made her way to Granny's in need of coffee and a breakfast with no family members involved. She wanted to be alone, especially since she'd spent most of the night tossing and turning dreaming of the people of Storybrooke going on a witch-hunt to persecute her for her past behavior. She awoke too early with a craving to be alone.

She was turning into the walkway when she bumped into a hard body and a little voice giggled.

She looked down at the giggle first and found herself looking at Roland, so she automatically knew when she lifted her head she'd find herself face to face with Robin. She braced herself mentally and glanced up to find her suspicions were accurate. As their eyes met, she felt a familiar feeling of butterflies take residence in her stomach and she cursed herself for feeling so flustered at running into him on the street. She felt like she was sixteen again.

She made herself look into his brilliant blue eyes and she felt nervous for many reasons she wasn't willing to look into. She found an array of emotions there, many of which she didn't want to acknowledge, but the one that stood out to her the most was the uncertainty. She tried to ignore the butterflies that seemed to now be filling her entire being, so that she could find her voice to sound like a normal unaffected person. But it was hard to do when Robin was staring at her as if he wanted to grab her and kiss her or tell her off, she had no idea which.

"Robin." She greeted.

"Regina." He said in the same polite tone.

"Listen I wanted to—"

"I haven't signed the papers yet."

"Apologize, actually."

His eyes widened and she cleared her throat uncomfortably. She hated apologizing, even when she knew what she had done was wrong.

When she was young she had played a vicious joke on Mary Margaret after their parents had gotten married and even after she was told to apologize by literally everyone she had held out until she absolutely had to. Mary Margaret had been her usual Disney Princess self and accepted, but she remembered how Ruby had looked at her for playing the cruel joke on her and that had bothered her for years afterward.

"What?" Robin asked surprised and then quickly turned to amused. He knew how she felt about apologizing. Many of their fights had been about her lack of apologizing and acknowledgment of being wrong.

"Apologize? Really? You never apologize." He remarked smugly.

She bit her lip and looked down at Roland who was looking up at them in interest.

"Yes, well, I am…sorry, I mean. Not just for assuming about…" she trailed off and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Regina, I have no idea what you are stuttering through. Just spit it out." He said.

She gritted her teeth, squared her shoulders, and readied herself to do one of the things she hated.

"I'm sorry." She stated.

He nodded slowly, "for what exactly? Leaving six years earlier without so much as a goodbye? Breaking into my home? Scaring Roland? Or assuming things you have no right assuming?" he asked his tone light, but the look in his eyes cuttingly sharp.

She shifted uneasily in front of him, "all of it. I'm sorry for all of it." She paused for a beat, "Except the breaking in part because I wasn't breaking in." she added quickly.

"I was NOT scared!" Roland announced suddenly drawing their attention to him.

Robin scowled and shook his head and Regina bit back a smile.

"I wasn't! R'gina's nice! And she's pretty and smells good! Can she come to dinner tonight?" Roland asked eagerly.

Robin blinked rapidly not knowing what to say and Regina smirked at Robin's surprised expression.

"Well, uh that's up to Regina." Robin said glancing over at her.

Regina smiled and nodded making sure to look down at Roland when she responded, "I'd love to."

Roland's grin could split his face and Regina felt warmed at the fact that at least one person was happy to have her around.

"What time should I come over?" Regina asked still looking down at Roland and studiously avoiding Robin's gaze.

"Seven is fine." Robin replied gruffly.

Regina grinned at his discomfort and nodded. "I'll see you then."

Robin nodded and they did an awkward dance as they tried to move around one another. Regina watched them go feeling a little giddier than she had when she woke up.

She made her way into Granny's and hoped that Ruby had calmed down enough from the day before to serve her coffee. But when she walked in she didn't see Ruby, instead a blonde girl was rushing around helping customers. Regina sat at the counter and began to look through the menu even though she'd memorized it long ago.

"Well look what the cat dragged in." A voice remarked making Regina freeze.

She slowly looked up to see Granny eyeing her with mild interest.

"Hello." Regina said trying to maintain as much dignity as possible.

"Ruby said you were back in town." Granny commented.

Regina waited for Granny to dig into her much the same way Ruby had, but when nothing came out of the older woman's mouth she decided to break the silence.

"How…How is everything?" Regina asked finally.

"Since you left, you mean?" Granny asked with raised eyebrows.

Regina sighed, "Yes, I suppose."

"Fine." Granny said going back to her work.

Regina watched her with a frown wondering whether she was going to get the scolding everyone else seemed to give her.

"Aren't…aren't you going to…I don't know, lecture me?" Regina asked softly.

Granny let out a bark of laughter and turned to look at Regina with a look that reminded her of the many times she and Ruby had snuck out and had been caught, or when she'd been caught in Robin's room on more than a few occasions.

"Do you want me to lecture you?" Granny asked in amazement.

"Everyone else has." Regina said stiffly.

"I have no aspiration to be everyone else. Besides, I think my granddaughter lectured you more than enough and I know my grandson will too. Not to mention your mother. You know what you did was wrong, or you wouldn't still be here." Granny said.

Regina nodded slowly, "For what it's worth I am sorry."

Granny chuckled darkly and shook her head, "What are you apologizing to me for? You didn't break my heart."

Granny left Regina to her thoughts and she knew even more than before she had to make things right before she could return to New York and Daniel.

After she was finished with her breakfast at Granny's Regina began to explore the changes intrigued to know what had changed, if anything. Before she got too far though she was called home to help her mother and Mary Margaret with engagement invitations to Mary Margaret's engagement party the following week.

Sending out the cards took longer than she had thought and around four Regina excused herself to start making an apple pie to bring to Robin's, she knew that it was his favorite. At least she hoped it was still his favorite.

Once she was finished with making the pie she went to take a shower and change into an outfit for dinner. She decided on something simply, a knee length deep purple dress and a pair of black heels. She wore minimal make up, but made sure to put on her signature lipstick.

When she came back downstairs she was greeted by her mother and step-father watching television.

"Going out?" Cora asked glancing away from the Antique Roadshow to look at her daughter.

"Yes." Regina said shifting the pie in her arms.

"You aren't going out with Robin, I hope." Cora said disdainfully.

Regina frowned, "So what if I am?"

"You know that road will only lead to trouble, Regina." Cora called after her.

Regina slammed the door closed in response and began to make her way over to Robin's. Her mother's words echoed in her ear, but she pushed them away knowing she was wrong. She was just having a friendly dinner with her husband and his Godson, nothing weird about it.

But she knew deep inside – to a place she wouldn't even admit to herself – that there were still feelings there lurking under the surface, they were just bidding their time before they showed themselves.

(A/n: What do you think? Next up is more Outlaw queen! of course and Dimples Queen)


	6. Chapter 6: Best Behavior

**Author's Note:** Thank you everyone who is reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following this story! I really appreciate the feedback and taking the time to check out the story! We will slowly find out why Regina left. There's more info in this chapter, but as the story continues on we'll get the full story why she left Storybrooke. It's a slow reveal. Also this story doesn't exactly follow the plot of Sweet Home Alabama, just a forewarning, it's just the basis basically. Also _Guest_ who asked about flashback, I'm actually not sure. I was thinking of doing it, but I'm trying to figure out where to fit them in the story so we'll have to wait and see! Please review!

 **Thank you to: Mafalda1617, Grace5231973, marijocksleyxxi, Anny Rodrigues, Sparkles21, SoulHearShipper, Emily, chairunnisa, Guest, & RockaRosalie!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 6: Best Behavior**

Regina stood on the porch of Robin's house for longer than she would ever admit. She decided to walk to Robin's, since nothing ever bad happened in Storybrooke and the time that it took to walk there would allow her to rid herself of any unwanted thoughts.

She needed time to get herself together and the walk that she knew would talk less than fifteen minutes would provide that. If she was planning on having dinner with Robin she needed to be on her best behavior. If she showed Robin that she wasn't just focused on getting divorced from him maybe the reverse psychology would prompt him to sign the papers.

She had only been back in town for two days and yet it felt like the longest two days of her life. Nothing was going the way she needed it to go. She was supposed to be on the way back to New York by now, but instead she had gotten roped into dealing with long hidden feelings and broken relationships.

She had never been one to deal with her feelings very well.

When her mother decided to marry Mary Margaret's father Regina had spent an entire week cleaning the whole house until it was completely void of dirt, dust, or germs. Instead of dealing with the problem Regina had ignored it and opted to concentrate on what she could control. Cleaning.

When Robin had told her in confidence that he had a crush on Belle French a girl who tutored him in reading she had begun to take karate at the local Rec center in the next town over. She couldn't deal with the fact that Robin liked someone who wasn't her so she dove into a new hobby and perfected her ass kicking skills. If she couldn't gain control in one part of her life at least she could gain it in another. She needed control in situation that harbored no control.

The months after the incident she had spent countless amounts of hours buried in books hoping that studying would ease the pain of losing a child. She had taken on extra shifts at the diner and avoided her home as much as she could. Distractions helped her seek control out of situations and that was something that had never gone away, especially to this day.

"Regina?"

Regina jerked her head up to see Robin standing in the doorway looking surprised.

"I was just about to ring the doorbell." She supplied quickly.

He smirked and leaned against the doorway folding his arms as he regarded her.

"Were you?" he asked mirth twinkling in his eyes.

"I was just…moving the pie to the other hand." She said blushing under his scrutiny.

"I seem to have saved you then," he said looking down at the foil wrapped bowl in her arms. "Do you want to come in?"

She nodded and hesitantly stepped over the threshold. She shivered slightly when her arm brushed against the hard plains of his chest and she hated herself a little bit for being so predictable in his presence.

Even after all these years he still affected her, he had been able to do that ever since they were kids. She tried to ignore it, but it was like ignoring a large pink elephant in the room, which in hindsight it probably was.

"So how's it going being home?" Robin asked as he came up behind her.

"It's going…" she trailed off not able to bring herself to put a positive adjective to what she had been subjected to.

"My mother is still…my mother." She said finally.

"She is a special breed." He scoffed watching her as she put the pie on the counter in the kitchen.

"You didn't have to make anything." He said quietly.

"I wanted to."

"Well it was unnecessary."

She narrowed her eyes at him and moved into the living room to sit on the couch she had picked out years before. She eyed the fraying material and the few stains that dotted the green material.

"It's apple." She stated taking her jacket off and putting it beside her on the couch.

Robin leaned against the frame of the door that marked where the kitchen and dining room ended and where the living room began.

She watched as his eyes darkened when they grazed over her deep purple dress and she felt a small amount of pride that he was still as affected by her as she was by him.

"Where's Roland?" she asked when his eyes seemed to linger on her legs.

"Upstairs no doubt causing some sort of mayhem." He said tearing his eyes away and then looking upward.

"Roland!" Robin called.

They listened as they heard little feet begin to putter above them and then grow closer as Roland hurried down the stairs.

"Here!" Roland announced hoping the last few steps and coming to stand in the middle of the living room between Robin and Regina.

"R'gina! You're here!" he said happily throwing his arms around her legs and hugging her.

She smiled slightly and moved to pick him up and place her in her lap so she could give him a better hug. He giggled and stuck his head against her neck nuzzling her.

"I said I would come." She said when he pulled away from her.

She grinned at the infectious smile on his face and then was pulled up from her seat by him as he began to ramble about things he wanted to show her. She followed him around patiently, smiling when he brought pieces of art he had made to her for her to see, and laughing when he showed her his toys.

She was startled out of a story Roland was telling her when Robin stuck his head in the living room and announced that dinner was ready. Sighing heavily Roland pouted up at Robin.

"But I want to show R'gina my Batman action figures! We're only on Spiderman and she needs to know how awesome Batman is too!" Roland protested.

"After dinner, Roland." Robin said patiently.

Roland opened his mouth to say something more when Regina laid a hand on his arm. "It's okay. You can show me afterwards. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

Roland giggled and nodded eagerly before taking her hand and leading her into the kitchen. The three of them sat down to the already set table and Regina took a moment to look at the prepared dinner impressed by what she saw.

When her and Robin were married he had rarely if ever made dinner. Usually he was too tired from working to make anything more than a sandwich, but it seemed like something had changed in her time away. He had prepared a beautifully delicious looking salad, some small steaks, baked potatoes, and a fruit salad.

"This looks delicious." She said looking across the table at Robin who smirked.

"It was no problem. I make dinner every night." He said nonchalantly.

"It's always yummy! And I made brownies for des…des…later." Roland said tripping over 'dessert.'

Regina felt a plummeting sensation in her stomach and immediately felt guilty for having brought the pie. She looked up and met Robin's eyes from across the table who was watching her carefully.

She opened her mouth wanting to tell Roland that she too had brought dessert, but instead decided against it. She could tell him later.

The three of them tucked into their meals and talking ceased for the moment as they filled their stomachs.

As the silence stretched though Regina felt the sudden need to fill it. "So what have you been up to in the last few years?"

Robin shrugged and shoveled some food into his mouth to avoid answering the question. "We don't have to do this, Regina." He said after he had swallowed his bite.

She frowned and looked over at Roland who was smashing his baked potato with vigor not paying attention to either of them.

"Do what?" she asked keeping her voice indifferent.

"Make small talk. I invited you here because Roland wanted it. Nothing else." He said avoiding her eyes by staring down at his plate.

She blinked rapidly and sat back in her chair. She felt the familiar needles of pain stab into her heart and she tried to breath in and out willing the hurt to go away. She concentrated on her breathing until she felt as if she could logically answer him without snapping at him in defense.

"Well I've been living in New York after I graduated Columbia. It's been a good change." She said crisply.

Robin stared at her across the table a look of irritation taking residence in his eyes.

"I know." He responded quietly.

"You know what?"

"I know that you've been living in New York."

"How?"

"How do you think?" he said gruffly.

She frowned, "look, I know this isn't an ideal situation, but there is nothing I can do to change it. Roland wanted me to come over and I did. For Roland. No other reason." She stated tightly.

Robin's jaw tightened and he looked over at Roland who didn't seem to notice the adult's tension. He nodded once and then looked back over at Regina who had been watching him intently.

"Right." He mumbled digging back into his meal.

She nodded slowly and turned to Roland knowing at least he'd be able to fill the uncomfortable silence around the dinner table.

She breathed a sigh of relief when Roland began to chatter about his school and life in general. Slowly the uneasy atmosphere transformed and she found herself laughing once again. Dinner continued on until the plates were clean and Regina offered to help clean up, but he waved her away already getting out some plates for dessert. To her surprise he brought out a tin of brownies, vanilla ice-cream, and the apple pie she had baked.

"Robin—" she began, but stopped when he gave her a dismissive expression.

"Roland, Regina made some apple pie for us. Would you like to try some?" he asked unwrapping the container to reveal a perfectly baked apple pie.

Roland nodded eagerly and leaned across the table. "R'gina, do you wanna try my brownies?" he asked innocently.

She smiled and nodded, "of course."

He grinned at her and they watched as Robin cut the pie up before putting a piece on two plates along with some ice cream and a brownie.

"These are very good, Roland." Regina said after swallowing her first bite.

"You too!" he said happily taking a big bite of apple.

She smiled at his enthusiasm and then looked back at Robin who was cleaning up dinner instead of joining them. She sighed heavily wishing very much that things could be easier than they were turning out to be. She hadn't expected dinner to be a walk down memory lane, but she had been looking forward to maybe clearing the air. It looked like that was not happening, at least not anytime soon.

She opened her mouth to suggest that Robin join them, but was cut off by Roland announcing that he was finished and then begging her to come see the rest of his toys. She obliged patiently and went to spend more time with Roland, at least being around him was easier than being around Robin.

* * *

At half past eight Robin announced Roland's bedtime and he begrudgingly went upstairs to go to bed.

"G'night, R'gina! Come play again soon! And eat dinner with us!" he announced pouting at her, hoping she'd come again.

She smiled and reached over to hug him. "I'll try." She said and scowled over Roland's shoulder at Robin when she heard him snort at her response.

Regina said on the couch wondering if she should leave, but part of her wanted to stay a little while longer at least to talk to Robin. She wasn't sure why she suddenly needed to explain herself, but she did and she didn't want to leave without doing so.

"You're still here." He stated coming back down the stairs and looking at her in surprise.

"I wanted to talk to you." She said.

"More small talk?"

"No…I wanted to apologize."

"You already did." he said going into the kitchen to grab a beer.

She followed after him feeling unsure of herself. "I know, I just…I had hoped that maybe we could clear the air."

"Clear the air? Regina…why do you even care? I thought you were only here to get me to sign the papers so you could go back to whatever grandiose life you are living in New York."

She bite her lip nervously, "I want to fix things."

"Fix things? I think it's a little too late." He snapped taking a long drink of his beer.

"Coming back has just…it's made me realize some things, like how I…left everything. I want to…well I want to at least try and…do better." She stammered.

He slowly brought the beer away from his lips and stared at her cocking his head to the side as he studied her.

"Why? You didn't seem to care much when you left me six years ago. You didn't seem to care that you walked out on me or that I worried that something bad had happened to you! I didn't know where you were until your mother told me you'd transferred to some college to finish your degree. I was worried sick for weeks!

You ran away, Regina, and you need to live with that. I'm not going to try to make you feel better to get rid of your guilt. I've dealt with too much of your bullshit to feel guilty about not giving in to your every whim. You left me. Don't forget that. You couldn't even leave a bloody note! Do you know how I felt?"

"I was twenty years old! I felt trapped and I was depressed about what had happened! And what about how I felt? Running away seemed like the only solution! I had no one to talk to! You were off getting shit faced at the Rabbit Hole every night and I was trying to pay the bills, go to school, and work. Not to mention dealing with losing a child! I had no other choice, but to run." She exclaimed angrily.

"I didn't run!" he yelled back, "And you could've talked to me! I was hurting about losing him too!"

"Yes, you did! You ran to the bottle and drowned yourself in it! And how was I supposed to talk to you? All you did was avoid me! Every time you looked at me I felt like you were disgusted by me and you blamed me for losing him!" She took a deep breath and let it out before continuing on in a softer voice, "Leaving…it was better for everyone this way."

"Better for everyone? Or better for you?"

She opened her mouth to respond and then fell silent. She let out a melancholic laugh and settled against the wall. "There was other stuff going on too. Stuff about…my dad."

"Your dad?"

"My real dad, I mean."

"What type of stuff?"

She sighed heavily and closed her eyes briefly, "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

He scoffed and shook his head, "typical, Regina. Always running."

They fell into an uneasy silence neither wanting to look at the other.

"David said you're getting married." Robin said after a long silence.

Regina choked on the air she had just took in and slowly looked up to Robin. "Figures he would tell you."

"He's my best friend, Regina, can you blame him?" he snapped.

She fell silent not knowing what to say to that.

"So are you?" he asked again.

"He hasn't proposed yet…but if he asks then yes – yes I'll marry him."

Robin nodded slowly and took a long drink of his beer. Regina watched him nervously and then took a deep breath knowing what she was about to say was going to cause another round of yelling.

"If you would just sign the papers—"

"Get out of my house, Regina."

"Robin—"

"Out! Now! I'll sign the damn papers when I want. Just get out." He yelled.

She opened her mouth to argue wanting to make him understand, but seeing the pain in his eyes made her snap her mouth shut. She nodded once and turned around to walk out the door. She could've stayed and fought, but instead she was taking the easy way out. She was running.

(A/n: So what do you think? Next up will be some ruby/regina talk)


	7. Chapter 7: Broken Relationships

**Author's Note:** I apologize for the very long wait! RL got in the way and I had writer's block. I'm back now and will be updating more since I jsut moved and know no one where I am now. This chapter has a flashback! I hope you like it! It took me awhile to decide on which one to do! Please let me know what you think! The chapter is a bit short, I'm a little rusty.

 **Thank you to: Guest, marilocksleyxxi, Guest, Mssilver, beverlie4055, The Kween, Mafalda1617, Anny Rodrigues, SoulHeartShipper, Grace5231973, Celianomas, lana447, willow141, & Sparkles21!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 7: Broken Relationships  
**

 _Regina stared down at the little white stick. She had frozen after she had taken it out of the box, reality finally hitting her. Throughout the time leading up to this moment the reality of the situation hadn't caught up to her._

 _The reasons she was sitting on the floor were simple. The events leading up to her sitting on their bathroom floor staring at a white stick were simple._

 _And yet it was dreamlike._

 _She couldn't process that she was really about to pee on a stick to see if she was_ pregnant _._

 _She had never really thought about children. Sure, she had babysat and in health class when they discussed pregnancy she had thought about it, but for her she'd never really_ considered _it._

 _Now here she was really considering having kids, and with the man she loved._

 _Robin and her had been married for a little under a year, but they had never discussed having kids. Maybe when they were in high school and the topic of pregnancy had come up she may have asked him his opinion on the matter, but for the most part the subject wasn't discussed._

 _Robin…_

 _Crap, how was she going to tell him?_

 _Did she blurt it out?_

 _Like, 'hey hun, just wanted to let you know dinner's in the stove and oh yeah I'm carrying your child.'_

 _It was the natural order of things, have a kid after getting married. But she kind of wanted to wait until she'd had a career. She had already rationalized putting her schooling and career on hold because she'd gotten married right after high school. But she wasn't sure if she could have a baby and finish college._

 _On the other hand raising a child with Robin would be so…great. She knew how good of a father he would be. He was patient, kind, brave, protective, sweet and he just had this easy way about him. She loved him and she knew he would be so amazing as a father._

 _That being said though, she was still afraid to tell him._

 _It had happened two weeks ago when she looked at her planner and realized she hadn't gotten her period. It took her another two weeks to summon up the courage to actually look into it. At first she brushed it off and told herself she was late, it was possible. Then she had a huge paper due and Robin had taken her out for a date during the weekend so she kept pushing it back. Now, here she was about to find out her fate._

 _With shaking hands she began to follow the directions on the box._

 _She waited the two minutes it would take and then she waited another few minutes to get up the courage to look._

 _Two pink lines._

 _Two._

 _Pink._

 _Lines._

 _She was pregnant._

 _Pregnant._

 _She was in shock._

 _She was pregnant._

 _She began to cry as slowly the shock wore off._

 _They were tears of joy, and when Robin came home he found her laughing and crying on the bathroom floor._

 _"Regina? What's going on?" he asked staring at her in alarm._

 _She shook her head and she tried to get a grip on her emotions. She was happy, she knew that, but at the same time she was so…so afraid._

 _How was he going to react?_

 _What did she say?_

 _"Robin…" she trailed off trying to bring the words to her lips. Where should she start? Should she blurt it out?_

 _"Are you alright? Did something happen? Are you hurt?" he asked kneeling down and taking her into his arms. She buried her head in his chest and breathed in his comforting scent._

 _Was she okay?_

 _She had no clue._

 _She felt delirious_

 _"Robin…I don't know how to tell you this." She said breaking away to meet his beautiful bright eyes._

 _He frowned and a worried crease appeared on his forehead._

 _"Tell me what? What's going on, Regina?" he asked again._

 _She opened her mouth to tell him, but no sound came out. She looked away from his inquisitive eyes and then reached toward the toilet where she had left the white stick. She handed it to him and he stared down at it an unreadable expression on his face._

 _She waited patiently for his reaction._

 _The seconds ticked by._

 _The minutes ticked by._

 _Was he angry?_

 _Was he going to leave her?_

 _And then he was crushing her to him and burying his face in her hair. She felt warm tears trickle down her neck and she tried to move away so she could see his eyes._

 _Was he happy?_

 _"Robin—"_

 _"You're pregnant?" he asked interrupting her._

 _She nodded searching his eyes to see how he was really feeling, but she didn't have to wait long to figure it out because he was kissing her hard on the mouth. Spilling all of his emotions into that kiss._

 _"I love you. I love you so much." He breathed making sure to show her with his kisses as he touched every part of her he could reach._

 _"So you're happy?" she asked nervously._

 _"The happiest."_

 _"Are you sure?"_

 _"I've never been more sure. I love you and I will love our child." He said making sure to meet her eyes as he said those words._

 _She felt more tears gather in her eyes and she pressed her lips to his. He loved her and that was all that mattered. He was happy and as long as he was happy she would be too._

 _"I love you too." She responded pulling away._

 _He laughed and she watched the happy tears roll down his cheeks._

 _She wanted to remember this moment forever, the complete love of two people who had found happiness in each other. And nothing could tear them apart._

* * *

The next morning Regina felt, if possible worse than she had when she first arrived. She wasn't sure what made last night different from all the other messed up things she had done, but it did. Maybe it was the obvious hurt on Robin's face when she brought up the papers (again) or maybe it was the fact that their relationship seemed irreparably fractured.

She wished things were different, but wishes were for Disney Princesses and Musicals. If she was going to start making things right she figured she might as well start with Ruby, who was just as hurt over her leaving as Robin. She would've preferred to start with Robin, but after last night she figured he needed some time to cool off after their disastrous time together.

She set off for Granny's since she wasn't sure if Ruby still lived with her grandmother or if she had finally moved to her own apartment.

If Regina had to guess she'd say that Ruby was still living with her, but things had changed in the last six years. She wasn't sure of anything when it came to the people and town of Storybrooke, and that was a little disconcerting, especially when she used to know every little thing that was going on in the town.

"Does Ruby still live here?" Regina asked cautiously when she stepped into the diner.

Granny's looked her over and then called into the back of the kitchen.

Regina was glad that not many people were in the diner that morning. She was thankful she'd missed the morning rush. At least the entire town won't have to listen to her and Ruby argue.

"What is it Gran—Oh. Regina." Ruby said in surprise.

Regina gave her a small smile, "Ruby, do you have a few minutes?"

Ruby hesitated and looked over at Granny who shrugged.

"Um, yeah sure. I guess." Ruby said uncomfortably.

Regina nodded and Ruby turned to lead her into the back of the kitchen. They went out the back door and into the alleyway behind the restaurant.

Regina stood uncomfortably straight and Ruby leaned against the brick wall neither knowing what to say.

"So…I'm sorry." Regina began wringing her hands as she spoke.

"For which part?"

"All of it. I should've…I should've done a lot of things differently. I'm sorry, I hurt you. I'm sorry for leaving." Regina said regretfully.

Ruby nodded, "thank you."

"I know I can't make everything right, but I'd like to try." Regina said hesitantly.

Ruby stared her with a guarded expression and then slowly let out a long sigh. "I don't know Regina, I accept the apology, but I don't know if I can have you in my life. I mean, you're leaving again aren't you? Once Robin signs the papers. I meant what I said the other day. I was here for you and you just…left anyway. It's been six years so I've had time to get over it, but I don't know if we can go back to how it was."

Regina opened her mouth to respond wanting to tell Ruby that she wanted to give their friendship another chance, but she knew she was right. She was going to be leaving once all of this was over, but that didn't mean she didn't want to fix things. What Ruby had said really touched a part of her, maybe that was why she felt such a need to fix everything she had destroyed.

"You're right. I plan on leaving again, but I'd still like to fix us. You were my best friend."

"And yet you couldn't talk to me about what was going on with you. Instead you left. Do you know how that makes me feel, Regina?" Ruby demanded.

"What I was going through…it was complicated. I was a teenager. I know I should've reached out for help, but it's hard to do that when…when you just lost a child. I couldn't relate to anyone. I was being shut out and I know I didn't handle it the best. I'm not proud of what happened. And then on top of that I had family stuff I was dealing with too. Everything was so messed up." Regina said quietly.

Ruby looked away from her old friend and tightened her arms around her chest. There was a lengthy silence and it stretched on as neither woman made an attempt to break it.

"Mary Margaret was planning on having a girl's night tonight. Do you want to come?" Ruby asked breaking the stiff silence.

Regina gave her a glowing smile and then nodded eagerly. "I would like that very much."

"Good. I'll see you tonight. The Rabbit Hole. Nine sharp." Ruby said and then went back into the restaurant.

Regina smiled to herself as she leaned back into the brick wall. She allowed herself to take in the fact that she may have actually amended a relationship with someone she had once been close to.

She was so lost in her euphoria as she walked out of the alleyway that she nearly ran into Robin where he was walking down the sidewalk. He paused as she stopped a mere inch away from him.

She opened her mouth to greet him, but he steely look in his eyes made her shut her lips.

"Regina." He said after a brief pause.

"We have to stop meeting like this." She responded.

They stared at each other, Regina wishing he'd be less icy.

"I'm sorry about last night." She said finally.

He looked away and nodded slightly, "you seem to be apologizing a lot."

"Yeah, I guess it's turned into a thing." She said sheepishly.

"I shouldn't have yelled at you last night." He blurted out suddenly.

"I wasn't exactly the most personable last night." She argued.

"Roland had a good time."

"Good, good. I'm glad. I enjoyed myself as well." She said formally.

Robin gave her a stiff smile and then looked down the street.

"I should go. I'll…see you around."

"Yeah." Regina agreed, "definitely."

Robin ducked his head and began to walk the way he had been going. She watched him go wondering if the distance between them would ever lessen.

(A/n: Please review! Next up will be girls night and more of why Regina left!)


	8. Chapter 8: Pandora's Box

**Author's Note:** Thank you everyone who has stuck with the story! And who has reviewed, read, favorited, and followed! You guys are amazing! So I outlined the rest of the story and there should be about 13 chapters in total. I hope you like this chapter! Please review! Things should be heating up now.

 **Thank You to: Guest, Outlawqueenalways, Me, DocMcRegals, LarEvilQueenSavior, Anny Rodrigues, marijockslexxi, willow141, Grace5231973, Sparles21, & Guest!**

 **Chapter 8: Pandora's Box**

Regina found herself hours later in the Rabbit Hole sitting at a table with Mary Margaret, Ruby, Emma, and Belle. Apparently they were all the _Bridesmaids_. And as little as Regina wanted to be sitting there downing jello-shots and lemon drops – the customary drinks at a Bachelorette party – it was nice that she could take a break from the chaos of her life.

She didn't have to think about Robin, or Daniel. She didn't have to wonder about these _feelings_ inside her – but in all fairness she wasn't sure if these _feelings_ for her ex-husband had really gone away. She wondered ideally as she sipped from a scotch – she was tired of handling the onset of sugary drinks – if these feelings she had for Robin were just laying dormant after all these years. She knew she loved Daniel, but being home and seeing Robin…well it brought back long buried emotions she thought had died long ago.

"…that time in High school." Mary Margaret finished off giggling to herself and bringing Regina from her thoughts.

She put on a polite smile and finished off the scotch in her hand. Waving to the bartender for another she turned back to the group at large to see that they were still laughing over the story Mary Margaret had told.

"So Regina, how are things going with Robin?" Belle asked making the whole table freeze and stare at the brunette in a mix of wonder and anxiety at her question.

"Don't you think that's a bit personal, Belle?" Regina snapped taking the offered scotch from the bartender and taking a large sip.

"It's a Bachelorette party, Regina! Nothing is off limits." Mary Margaret announced jumping in before Belle could make the hasty apology that was already forming on her lips.

"Well, I don't want to talk about… _Robin_." Regina stated stiffly.

"Why not? I'll just ask him. He is my brother." Ruby said smirking at Regina's increasingly annoyed expression.

"I'm sure our answers would be very different." Regina replied.

Ruby huffed and rolled her eyes. "Come on, Regina! Spill! Give us some gossip. It's the least you could do."

Regina opened her mouth to snap back, but knew deep down that Ruby was just trying to include her. Regina also knew she probably wasn't over everything that had happened between them despite how they had both apologized.

"Robin and I have…well I've been trying to get him to sign the paperwork…" Regina began.

"We don't care about any damn paperwork, Regina! We get it! You have a great hot lawyer waiting for you at home. We want to know what's going on with _you_ and _Robin_."

Regina bit her tongue to keep from growling or lashing out. Instead she put her glass down and contemplated telling them what was going on.

There had been a time many years ago, when they were in high school and everything was flowers and rainbows when Regina would've gladly filled them in on every detail.

Now, as much as she wanted to tell them what was going on she also didn't want to get into the details. Because if she did she was afraid she would receive some advice she didn't want. She knew what she wanted, at least she told herself she knew what she wanted.

She wanted Daniel.

She was going to marry Daniel.

So then why did she so desperately want someone to tell her to dig deeper into her unwavering feelings for Robin? Why did she need someone to validate how she was feeling? She felt like some kind of…of hussy. Having feelings for two men, unable to decide. She was like a bad soap opera, except no one was dying.

Hopefully.

She shook her head and attempted to get back to the conversation. All four women were staring at her curiously.

"Okay. Fine. We had dinner a few nights ago. It didn't go well." She announced her tone clipped.

"Why not? Did you do something?" Ruby asked raising an eyebrow.

Regina frowned, "why do _I_ have had to do something?"

"Because you were the one who left."

Regina sighed heavily and threw her arms up. "Is that going to be thrown in my face for the rest of my time here? And every time I come back?"

Ruby tilted her head and gave her a small smile. "I think you give yourself enough guilt in that area, so no, probably not."

Regina grunted and slid further down in her seat.

"So then what happened? What happened?" Ruby pressed on.

"Nothing. We have had a few awkward run-ins. I apologized—"

"So you did do something!" Ruby exclaimed.

"I just don't understand why he won't sign the damn papers!" Regina groaned throwing her hands up in frustration.

"Because he still loves you." Ruby said bluntly.

Regina stared at her unsure what to say. All words seemed to have disappeared from her brain. Robin…loved her, still? After all this time? After all the heartbreak?

Was that why _she_ felt so drawn to him still? Was Ruby telling the truth?

Her head felt like it was going to explode with questions and she wasn't sure where to even start. She wasn't sure if she even had enough brainpower to ask any of the questions she so desperately wanted answered.

"He loves me?" she asked dumbly cocking her head and taking in Ruby who looked positively gleeful at the tidbit of information she just dropped.

"I'm sure h-he doesn't. I mean, it's been a long time and I just don't think he does." Regina continued on after clearing her throat and gaining some of her thought process back.

"I think you're holding yourself back, Regina. How long are you going to deny what your heart truly wants?" Ruby said softly.

Regina turned away from the sultry brunette and concentrated on her drink as conversation started back up around her.

This was exactly why she didn't want to spill the details of what was going on between herself and Robin. Now, Pandora's box was open and Regina knew that things weren't going to stay the same for very long.

For the rest of the evening she stayed close to silent, only speaking when she had to. She was too busy getting lost in her head, and she tried to sort out the tangle of feelings she had for two men.

* * *

The next day Regina found herself in front of the one shop she had wanted to avoid on her trip to Storybrook.

 _The pawnshop._

Ironically, Belle now worked in the pawnshop part-time with the owner, Mr. Gold. Belle was what really brought Regina to the shop, much to her chagrin.

Belle had forgotten her scarf at the bar the night before and was elected to return it, since everyone else was 'so busy.'

Regina knew they hadn't done it on purpose, but she had really wanted to avoid Mr. Gold and the Pawn Shop.

She had come to Storybrook to face one demon, Robin, she could really do without all her other past demons as well, Mr. Gold being the main one.

Throughout the many years Regina spent in Storybrook she knew one thing. Mr. Gold was a very powerful man.

There wasn't a time in her youth when Regina was wary of the Scottish man because of his power. Now, as an adult she wasn't afraid of him, like she had been before, but she still wanted to steer clear of him. Only because of what she'd found out.

After she had learned the truth it was almost a welcome blessing to give her an excuse to avoid him. He wasn't a good man, and the truth made her truly believe that.

But now here she was, in front of the pawnshop willing herself to step inside.

She reached for the handle of the door and pulled it open. Walking toward the counter she saw Belle and Mr. Gold huddled close together speaking in low tones.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Regina said looking back and forth between them with a curious smirk.

"Not at all, dearie." Mr. Gold said taking a noticeable step away from Belle and clearing his throat.

"Belle, why don't you go get those items from the back?" Mr. Gold said looking at his employee.

Belle looked between them hesitantly, but before she could make a move to leave, Regina began to speak.

"I'm actually here because of Belle. You left your scarf at the Rabbit Hole last night."

Mr. Gold raised an eyebrow and slowly turned to Belle who blushed.

"Thanks." Belle said walking around the counter to grab the silky material.

Regina gave her a tight smile and then nodded to Mr. Gold who was watching her curiously.

"You're welcome." Regina said taking a step back to begin walking toward the exit.

"I heard you were back in town." Mr. Gold called before she got too far.

Regina paused wincing inwardly at the fact she was going to have to converse with him. One of the absolute last things she wanted to do.

When she was young and Mr. Gold would stop to talk to her on the street, or at Granny's, or at one of the other places she'd run into him at because of their small town life. He would always ask her about her life and after she found out the truth she finally understood why. She had always thought it was strange that he wanted to know about her, and didn't care at all about anyone else. To everyone in town Mr. Gold was someone you didn't want to mess with. To Regina, he was the older man that asked how she was doing, what her grades were, and whether she'd mastered her latest interest.

Maybe knowing why he stopped and talked to her now made her know that he was going to talk to her about inane things she didn't really care to discuss.

"Only for a short while."

"I see…" Mr. Gold said trailing off.

Regina nodded again hoping that was all he wanted to say.

"H-How have you been?" Mr. Gold asked prolonging her exit.

"Fine. Good. I'm a lawyer now."

"That's good."

"Yes."

Belle watched the two her head moving from one side of the room to the other. Regina tried not to look over at her, but when she did during a brief moment she saw understanding and curiosity on the other woman's face. That led her to question whether Belle knew something about the situation, and if she did, did Mr. Gold tell her?

When Mr. Gold didn't respond Regina took another step backwards and opened her mouth to say 'goodbye.'

"You know, Regina before you lef—"

"I actually have to go, my mother…It was nice seeing you." she said hurriedly turning and walking toward the door.

She heard Belle call out a 'goodbye' as she closed the door and then she took a moment to rest against it before making her way to the park. Somewhere she knew she wouldn't run into anyone and she would be allowed to be alone.

When Regina got to the park she settled onto one of the benches and watched the children play. She was so lost in her own little world that it took her a moment to realize that one of the children was calling her name and tugging on her sleeve.

She looked down to see the child and smiled involuntarily at the brunette ball of energy with the big brown eyes and cheeky smile.

"Roland." She greeted shifting closer to him.

"R'gina!" he announced gleefully.

She smiled wider and patted the bench beside her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked curiously.

"No school! We got to go to the park today!" he said cuddling closer to her.

She smiled and looked around the playground. Sure enough she saw Robin talking with a tall icy looking blonde. Her heart sank a little watching them interact and it wasn't until Roland began to tell her all about his day did she finally look away from her soon to be ex-husband.

"…When are you going to come over for dinner again? Pop-Pop Robin has been sad since you came over. I think its 'cause he can't have any more apple stuff! The apple stuff was so yummy!" he exclaimed.

Regina smiled and hugged him closer. "We'll have to ask Robin if I can come over again, but I will try. Now, tell me what have you been up to?" she asked steering the conversation away from things she didn't want to talk about.

Roland grinned widely and began to tell Regina all the things she had missed out on in the past few days, since their dinner. While listening to Roland prattle on about his life she allowed her eyes to drift back over to Robin, but when their eyes connected she swiftly looked away and back down to his charge.

Even though she had finally accepted her reemerging feelings for her ex-husband, she wasn't ready to face him just yet. She had to figure out what to do next because even though Ruby claimed he still loved her, she couldn't possibly understand how.

She had hurt him in every way, much as he had to her. How could he love her when she had been and continued to be such a monster? How could he still love her after all this time? She acknowledged her feelings for him, but what was she going to do about it? And what about Daniel? Could she even live happily ever after, after everything? Could she finally get a happy ending? Or was she doomed to continue making mistakes that inevitably came back to bite her?

One thing she knew for sure was that she needed to spend more time with Robin and go from there. And they needed to finally clear the air about their past together.

(A/n: More soon. I am committed to finishing this fic and writing more. It was one of my new years resos! Please review!)


	9. Chapter 9: Back to the Past

**Author's Note:** Thank you everyone for checking out the story! And reading, reviewing, following, and favoriting! You guys as always cease to amaze me with your feedback! I apologize for the long wait! My muse seems to have left me. But here is chapter 9! There will be 13 chapters in total! I hope you guys enjoy! Please review!

 **Thank you to: NaomitheUnicorn, WoolGrillRegal, marijocksleyxxi, chairunnisa, willow141(x2!), pt159, Anny Rodrigues, Grace5231973, Outlawqueenalways, lanasregal, PhoebeSmilee, & Sparkles21!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 9: Back to the Past  
**

The ringing on her bedside table was what jolted Regina out of her light sleep. She fumbled around trying to locate her cell phone, her hand only touching the crisp papers she had been going over for work before bed last night. When her hand finally clasped down on it she pressed the answer button and put the phone to her ear impatient to know who would wake her out of her sleep.

"Hello?" she greeted her eyes half closed.

"Regina?"

Regina's eyes opened wider as she recognized the voice as Robin's. She sat up and glanced at the alarm clock on the same bedside table wondering if she should be worried that he was contacting he so early. Was there an emergency? Was something wrong?

"Regina are you there?" Robin asked again.

"Yes, yes, I'm here." She said quickly feeling very off kilter for being awoken by Robin at 7 in the morning, or really at all. Why would Robin be calling her in the morning?

"Would…Would you be so kind as to join Roland and I for breakfast?" he asked in a rush as if it painted him to ask her for anything.

She paused again feeling even more out of it, she even pinched herself to convince herself she wasn't dreaming.

"Breakfast?" she asked in surprise.

She heard Robin clear his throat through the phone and she knew he was uncomfortable asking the question.

"Yes, breakfast. With _Roland_ and I." he said carefully enunciating Roland's name so that she would make sure to catch it.

As if putting the entire idea on Roland would make asking her to breakfast any less awkward.

"Right, with you and Roland. Sure, when?" she asked a slight smile blooming on her face.

The kid was impossible not to like, with his cute little dimples, wide brown eyes, and curious nature. She found herself enjoying spending time with Roland. Robin on the other hand, as much as she knew would rather eat cockroaches than have breakfast with her. Despite what Ruby had said about her brother still loving her, Regina wasn't so sure. She was a strong believer that actions spoke louder than words.

"Now actually." He said and she detected a spattering of guilt in his voice for springing this on her so quickly.

"Oh." She said surprised.

"Roland really enjoys being around you. He's spoken of nothing else except seeing you at the park yesterday, and also when you came to dinner a few days ago. _He_ would appreciate if you could join us." Robin explained.

Regina ignored the little bit of her heart – read most of – that sank at his statement. Robin didn't really care what she did, he didn't really care about her at all. He was only talking to her to make Roland happy.

Ruby was wrong.

Sitting up in bed and beginning to get dressed she told Robin she'd be there in 15 minutes.

She quickly got ready for breakfast and made her way downtown toward Granny's. She said hello to a few of the people that were up early and as she reached the restaurant she realized this was the best she had felt in awhile. She didn't feel the stifling guilt that had been plaguing her since she got back. She felt…free for the first time since being home and she knew that she was slowly fixing the relationships she had destroyed by leaving so long ago.

Stepping into Granny's she looked around and found Robin and Roland easily enough in the back booth. She smiled as she crossed the restaurant, especially when Roland lit up when he saw her. For a moment Regina let herself imagine that this was her life. Meeting Robin at breakfast with their young son, this was how it was supposed to be before…before everything fell apart.

"Good morning!" she greeted getting a hug from Roland.

Robin smiled stiffly and her little fantasy faded instantly at his cold reception.

"What are we having for breakfast today?" she asked sliding into the booth beside Roland.

"Pancakes!" he exclaimed vibrating with energy.

Regina laughed at his energy and looked over at Robin who was watching her carefully.

"Are you getting pancakes too?" she asked curiously.

He shrugged, "As tempting as they are, I was going to go with eggs and bacon."

"What are you going to get, R'gina?" Roland asked excitedly.

"Hm…I'm thinking pancakes and bacon. What do you think?" she asked smiling at him.

He nodded happily with the answer, "good choice!"

"Thanks for coming. I know it was short notice, but this one here was very eager to see you today and he couldn't wait until after school." Robin said giving Roland a side look.

Regina shrugged and glanced down at Roland who looked embarrassed. "It's okay. I'm glad you asked."

Roland smiled happily as Ruby came over to take their order. She eyed them curiously, but since the morning rush was starting she didn't have enough time to question them about what they were all doing having breakfast together.

Breakfast was a lot less awkward than Regina thought it would be. It turned out to be very similar to their dinner they had, had a few days ago, except there was a yelling match at the end of it. Instead Roland calmly asked if Regina could come with them as they walked to school.

"If Regina would like to." Robin responded looking at her indifferently.

She nodded and smiled down at the little boy. He took her hand and began to tell her what they would be doing today, since it was Tuesday, and on Tuesdays they learned about animals, shapes, and colors.

After getting to the school and waving goodbye to Roland the two adults stood there awkwardly neither sure what to do.

"Do you have to go to work?" Regina asked trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

"I…why?" he asked narrowing his eyes and waiting for her to elaborate.

She blushed slightly and looked away from him. "I just…I would like to talk if you are able to."

He hesitated for a moment and then nodded. They began to walk away from town so that they could have some quiet and not be overheard by any of the nosey townsfolk.

"What do you want to talk about? Not the papers again, right?" he asked distaste evident in his tone.

She frowned and muttered a hasty 'no' before following silent again. Once again she tentatively opened her mouth, since this was a topic of discussion she had been hesitant to bring up, but knew it had to be done.

"I…I want to talk about us. About what happened." She revealed quietly.

"Regina—"

"No, Robin. I want to…I want to clear the air."

"We don't have—"

"We got married so young," She started ignoring his desire to let sleeping dogs lie. "I loved you so much. More than anything. And I was so happy being with you and starting a family. It was all I ever wanted." She paused and looked over at him wondering if he was going to interrupt again.

He didn't, instead stared at her with heartbreak written all over his face.

"And when I got pregnant…I got pregnant so quickly…I was just ecstatic. This was my dream coming true. I was going to be a part of a _real_ family. I couldn't believe how lucky I was…and then after…after he was born…after we lost him after that month I just…I felt like something in me had died too. I felt…I felt like I had shut down. Like I couldn't go on." She told him quietly.

He looked away, but not before she saw a few tears twinkling in his blue eyes.

"You could've told me this."

"You were just as lost as I was. We could barely help ourselves let alone each other."

"I still stayed."

"Yeah, you did…" she trailed off.

"What made you leave? I could've done better you know, I did do better."

"You were working at the Rabbit Hole and getting drunk all the time. Getting lost in your own pain. I was buried in school and working to become a lawyer… sometimes I don't even know if I wanted to do better back then. I think I _had_ to leave after everything that had happened. But…But I left for another reason too." She glanced over at him to grasp how intently he was listening. He was, which didn't surprise her. This was something they had evaded for too long, mostly by her doing.

Taking a deep breath she braced herself for the last thing she had never told him.

"I didn't leave entirely because of you and what happened with our child. I left…I found out that Gold was my…my real father. I couldn't take all of these…things happening and decided that it was best if I just…left." She stuttered out.

He stared at her and she wondered briefly if he had heard what she said.

"Gold is your _father_?" he asked when his shock seemed to have disappeared and he found his voice.

"Yes."

"How did you find out?" he asked incredulously.

"I needed some things from my house one day, some stupid sentimental things. I went during the day not thinking anyone would be home, but…but my mom and Gold were having an argument in the kitchen. I don't remember the argument, it was irrelevant, but I remember Gold calling out my mother for lying to me my whole life and then…he revealed himself to be my father. I left quickly afterward, but…I couldn't seem to shake the shock off. In an…angry state I confronted him and he revealed to me that he was in fact my real father. He told me this whole elaborate story about how he and my mother had, had an affair, how she loved him, but he didn't love her, and how he had never wanted any children so he never claimed me." She cleared her throat, "I left that night."

They had stopped walking as she talked and Robin stared at her in astonishment.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" he asked.

She sighed heavily, "because I didn't feel wanted. Not by anyone, not by my mother, not by my friends who were too busy with their own lives, not by you who was lost in your grief, and certainly not by the man who I had just found out was my father."

Robin sighed and took a step closer to her. At first she thought he was going to hug her, but instead he reached his hands out and put them on her face. Leaning forward he looked dead into her eyes. Feeling her heart rate begin to speed up she tried to concentrate on not hyperventilating because of his close proximity.

"Regina, I've always wanted you, since we were young, I've always wanted you and now…now is no different." He said letting that sink in.

She felt all of the air leave her lungs with that declaration and she felt herself melt.

"Robin." She prompted taking a step closer.

"I understand why you left, Regina, but…as much as I want to forgive you I don't know how. I've been angry at you for so long, but at least now I fully understand why. Maybe now I can work on forgiving you entirely." he whispered.

She gave him a small smile and nodded getting ready to take a step back, but instead he took a step closer until they were merely a breath apart. Their eyes were locked on each other's and neither of them were fully aware that their hands seemed to have taken on a life of their own and were framing one another's faces. Regina closed her eyes and she began to close the distance between the two and—

 _Ring Ring Ring._

Regina froze, her eyes popping open and the spell was broken as they both moved sheepishly away from one another.

"I'm sorry, it's probably w—" she stopped talking when she saw it was Daniel calling her.

"I should probably take this." She said feeling the guilt that had only seemed to disappear this morning return.

He nodded taking a step away from her a look of disappointment appearing across his face.

She walked a few steps away from him and pressed the answer button to talk to her boyfriend.

"Hello." She greeted hoping she didn't sound as guilty and breathless as she was.

"Regina, honey? When are you coming home?" he asked skipping the niceties and getting straight to the point.

"Soon." She said glancing over at Robin who was taking in the nature around them and trying not to listen to their conversation.

"When is soon? We have—"

"Please, Daniel, I'll be home soon."

"Regina—"

"Listen, I have to go."

"But Regina—"

"Goodbye." She said hanging up quickly before anything else could be said.

Looking back over at Robin she found him staring at her with a look of melancholy on his face.

"We should probably go back." He stated already starting back toward town.

She watched him for a moment silently lamenting the loss of their moment together before following him.

(A/n: what did you think? please review!)


	10. Chapter 10: The Beginning of the End

**Author's Note:** I apologize for the long wait. My computer died and then I lost my inspiration, or maybe it was vice versa. ANyway Here's the next chapter I hope you guys enjoy it! Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed! You guys keep me writing! Especially in those difficult times of fighting through lack of inspiration and RL problems. Continue to be awe-inspiring! There will be one more and then the Epilogue after this. Please review!

 **Thank you to: vigiita, outlawqueenforeverinmyheart, willow141, NaomiTheUnicorn, PhoebeSmilee, Outlawqueenalways, lanasregal, Grace5231973, chairunnisa (x2!), OnceOutlawQueen, Sparkles21, & Guest**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 10 The Beginning of the End  
**

Regina stared across the backyard taking in the multitudes of people that had shown up for David and Mary Margaret's engagement party. It seemed like most of the town was crammed into the backyard slinking their way around one another and attempting to mingle without bumping into anyone.

As odd as it was though, to be surrounded by all these people, Regina felt completely alone. She had spent most of the day running around trying to get everything ready and perfect for the party.

When she had run out of little jobs to make sure the evening ran smoothly she realized with dismay that her mind wandered to the almost kiss with Robin. Something she really didn't need to think about and didn't have the time to analyze. The door to her past was closed, she couldn't reopen it. No matter how much she seriously wanted to.

She had Daniel now and she couldn't…she wouldn't…she…seemed to be making an even bigger mess of things.

Not only had she almost cheated on Daniel, but she was going down a road that had been closed for a number of years. It was one thing to come back and beg for a divorce from her ex-husband. It was an entirely different matter to come crawling back to said ex-husband when she had a current boyfriend.

Whatever way she looked at the situation she knew she was guilty, and on top of that she couldn't stop thinking about the almost kiss. No matter how many menial tasks she did to prepare for the engagement party, no matter how many times she forced the image of Robin's open expression – the desire in his eyes – she couldn't erase what had happened between them.

And she wasn't sure she wanted to.

"Regina, you look lovely."

Regina looked up to see Mr. Gold standing beside her holding a tumbler filled with Scotch.

"Gold." Regina greeted politely.

"Regina, I was hoping perhaps we could talk?" Mr. Gold asked hesitantly.

Regina glanced over at him attempting to keep her expression indifferent.

"What do you want to talk about?" she asked.

He cleared his throat and looked around the party, the townspeople milling around ignorant of the tension between the two.

"It's private, would you mind?" he asked taking a step toward her.

She stared hard at him considering his question and then surprising even herself she relented.

"Sure."

He gave her a tight smile and they walked into the house until they were in the parlor as far from eavesdroppers as they could get.

"It's a lovely party." Mr. Gold stated unnecessarily.

She raised an eyebrow and gave him an exasperated look.

"Did you just want to talk about the party, or was there something you wanted to discuss?" she asked crossing her arms.

He gave her a smirk and sat on one of the armchairs near the fireplace.

"I wanted to apologize." He said looking uncomfortable.

She slid into the armchair across from him and waited for him to go on. When he didn't she prompted him with a wave of her arm.

"For what?"

"For…not wanting to be a part of your life. Regina, you…I've thought a lot about that conversation we had – you confronting me about your paternity – I could've handled it better. I could've handled a few things better, dearie." Mr. Gold said quietly.

Regina looked away unsure what to say.

Silence stretched across the room filling the voids and strengthening the tension between them.

"Why are you telling me this now?" she asked finally.

She looked across the small space between them and watched his expression carefully to see if he gave away the answer to her question. Surprisingly she saw his cheeks redden slightly and his eyes dipped to avoid her own.

"I met…I met someone, and she encouraged me to…to correct my past mistakes. I'd like to…to possibly have a…perhaps we could talk on the phone every now and again." He suggested.

Regina blinked in surprise and then something seemed to click, "Belle. Belle's pushing you to right the past."

Mr. Gold tapped his cane on the floor and sighed deeply. "She sees the best in me, for reasons I'm unable to fathom."

Regina smiled slightly her mind going to the one person who'd always seen the best in her…and it wasn't Daniel.

"What do you think, Regina?" Mr. Gold asked eventually.

"I think…it's been a long few weeks and I'm…I want to fix the past too," Regina shifted uncomfortably aware of Mr. Gold's gaze on her. "How does it feel? Fixing everything?"

Mr. Gold chuckled, "like I've created an even bigger mess. It's difficult tearing down the carefully constructed life we've built; the unknown was never something I looked forward to. But it's important to find someone who will look beyond the mess and see the brightness inside."

Regina stared at him, slowly taking in his words and then she looked down at her hands.

"Am I interrupting something?" A voice asked.

Regina looked up toward the entry way to see Robin leaning against it a nervous expression on his face.

Mr. Gold smirked and got up from his chair to leave the room. Regina watched as Mr. Gold and Robin exchanged looks before Robin moved into the room.

"You look nice." Robin commented taking Mr. Gold's spot.

Regina smiled sadly looking down at the royal purple dress she'd carefully picked out.

"Thanks."

"It's a nice party."

"Thanks."

They stared at each other neither knowing what to do.

"I have something for you." Robin said suddenly reaching inside his blazer.

She watched in silence as he brought out familiar looking papers. With disbelief she realized he had signed the divorce papers. The ones she had virtually forgotten about, the ones she'd begged him to sign for days. And now that they were presented in front of her, just the way she wanted, she felt…empty. Possibly even disappointed that he'd finally relented and signed them. Her heart sank knowing what was coming next.

"Are those—"

"Yes."

She met his gaze trying to ignore the pangs of disappointment and guilt that seemed to settle in her chest. His expression was guarded, but his azure eyes told her that he was just as downtrodden as she was.

"Why did you sign them?" she whispered.

"Because you wanted me to."

She gulped and turned her gaze back down to the papers that still rested in his hands.

"I'm sorry." She murmured.

"Don't be. I'm not."

She looked up and gave him a tentative smile.

"It's what you wanted, isn't it?" he asked when she didn't say anything.

She nodded unable to reply. The lump that was forming quickly in her throat silenced her. She wasn't sure if she could get any words out even if she tried.

He nodded and stood up towering over her, the papers still in his hand.

"Take care, Regina." He said softly handing the papers over and taking a step around her chair.

She stared down at the papers unsure what to do, but when she continued to feel his presence beside her chair she looked up wondering why he'd halted in his departure.

Looking up she found him staring down at her a look of darkness on his face. She opened her mouth to say something when without warning he bent down, grabbed her face roughly in his hands, and pressed an all-consuming kiss to her lips. He shoved his tongue between her lips, tasting her one last time, and then before she could respond he ripped himself away and stalked out of the room.

Regina sat there her fingers touching her bruised lips in shock as she tried to understand what had just happened.

When time finally caught up to her she got up from her seat and went after him. She walked into the backyard hoping that he was going to stay at the party, but as she neared the door she noticed that her mother was standing there talking to someone.

"…think she's in the house. You know, Regina she needs everything to be perfect." Her mother said.

"Mother, have you seen – Daniel?" Regina asked startled to see her boyfriend standing beside her mother a glass of champagne in his hand.

He smiled jovially at Regina and wrapped an arm around her waist to bring her toward him. She let him kiss her cheek as she looked through the crowd for Robin, but was unable to spot him as Daniel continued to talk in her ear.

"Excuse me —" Regina began.

"Regina, where are your manners? Daniel came down here all the way from New York. You could at least act happy to see him." Cora stated staring at her daughter from above her glass of wine.

Regina frowned looking at Daniel who was staring at her in concern.

"Are you okay? I thought you'd be thrilled that I'm here." He said his arm around her slackening.

Regina's frown deepened and she scanned the crowd again hoping to see Robin.

"Regina?" Daniel prompted.

"Yes, I'm happy. I'm fine." Regina replied automatically.

Daniel smiled happy enough with her answer and he turned back to her mother to continue talking about whatever they had been before Regina had interrupted.

Meanwhile Regina excused herself and slipped back into the house to put the divorce papers in a safe place.

The last thing she had to do to finalize them was make it official by signing her own name. But the real question was whether or not she was able to.

After staring at the papers for some time she slipped back downstairs and into the party determined that the next time she saw them again she'd sign them. After all Robin could do it, why couldn't she?

(A/n: One last chapter and the Epilogue! Thanks for reading! please review!)


	11. Chapter 11: The Best Policy is Honesty

**Author's Note:** Thank you everyone for sticking with this story! Reading this story, reviewing, favoriting, and following! You guys never cease to amaze me. I know that we've had a lot of sadness in the Outlaw Queen fandom, but thank god for fanfiction. Fanfiction, yet again saves the day! This is the last chapter than then there's an epilogue! Please review!

 **Thank you to: ouatlover123, pt159, Carolze, Henley B, willow 141, Naomi The Unicorn, Anny Rodrigues, Outlawqueenalways, Guest, Grace5231973, & clc61513!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 11 The Best Policy is Honesty  
**

The sky was deepening to a royal purple and the party guests were beginning to leave. Regina had been unable to find Robin since he'd given her the papers and she'd felt numb throughout the rest of the party.

It was like she was walking through a dream as she wined and dined with people from her past, and since Daniel was there as well she made the appropriate responses to his questions and comments. But she wasn't really there. Her mind was a million miles away, upstairs with the papers, and the imaginary conversation she wanted to have with Robin.

She hoped Robin hadn't left after their talk, but knew that was the only possible explanation for his absence. She wanted to go find him, but Daniel seemed to cling on to her and follow her wherever she went, commenting about this and that until she felt like she was going to lash out at him.

She was finding this new development quite annoying.

If she wasn't so focused on how annoyed she was by Daniel's behavior she would've noticed how much he was fidgeting.

He kept reaching into his pocket, as if to check to see if something was there. If that wasn't weird enough he was being more jovial than usual, and bringing up topics that they had already discussed.

For instance, when he'd arrived he had asked how her trip had been so far…and as the night continued he asked her the same thing a few more times. Regina was too focused on finding Robin so she could talk to him about what – she hadn't decided, but if she'd been more perceptive she would've seen what was coming next.

After the last guest had left and the caterers had packed up their truck to leave Daniel had urged Regina into the house to sit down and relax. He brought her her into the living room where Cora and Leopold were sipping tea and he sat her down beside them. She watched in confusion as he stayed standing, his motions becoming twitchier.

"Daniel, are you alright?" Regina asked finally.

Daniel cleared his throat and opened his mouth and then closed it. He did this a few more times before Cora finally spoke up.

"Daniel, perhaps you should just say it." Cora said in a sickeningly sweet voice.

Daniel nodded and Regina's confusions escalated.

"What's going—?" Regina began.

"Regina!" Daniel began interrupting her.

"Yes?"

"Regina…I…I'd like to ask for your hand in marriage. Will you marry me?" He spat out as quickly as he could.

Cora began to clap in excitement and Leopold joined in as they all turned to Regina with hopeful looks upon their faces.

"Oh Regina! This is so lovely!" Cora exclaimed, "two of our girls getting married at the same time! Oh, I just can't believe it, sweetheart!"

Regina sat stunned unable to speak. She had known this was coming, but to actually hear him say it was a whole other story. To hear him throw it into the world was just not something she was expecting. Especially, when it had sounded so indecisive.

She blinked not knowing what to say and that terrified her the most. Did she say yes and continue on the road she'd been on before she came back to Storybrooke? Or did she say no because…why would she say no? Before she came back to Storybrooke she would've said yes in a heartbeat, but what had changed? Why was she hesitating? What was wrong with her? She wanted Daniel…didn't she?

"Regina? Did you hear me? Will you marry me?" He asked again sounding even more unsure this time around.

She gulped and looked over to her mother and step-father whose smiles were slowly slipping from their faces. She watched as her mother's face hardened and Regina could practically hear her mother yelling at her to accept the proposal from across the living room.

"Regina?" Daniel asked again.

She cleared her throat and looked over at her mother who was giving her a shrewd look.

"I uh…I need a moment." Regina muttered.

She saw Daniel open his mouth to ask where she was going, but she left before he could get the words out. She ran up to her room and sat on her neatly made bed. Looking across the room she made eye contact with herself in the vanity mirror and saw the petrified expression on her face. Her face was pale, her eyes wide, even her hair seemed wild, despite the perfect hairstyle she kept it in. She looked a mess and felt a mess and she wasn't sure what to do.

Did she say yes? Did she say no?

What was she supposed to do?

"Regina?"

She looked up to see her mother standing in the doorway a look of irritation on her face.

"Mother." Regina greeted a hard edge in her voice.

Cora sighed and stepped into the room. Regina already knew the lecture she was going to receive from her mother and wasn't really in the mood, especially when she still had Daniel waiting downstairs for an answer.

"Can we talk, sweetheart?" Cora asked a strange note of tentativeness in her voice.

Regina shook her head not wanting to get the inevitable lecture she was going to give.

"If it's about this proposal then I—

"Please listen before you make any judgments."

Regina opened her mouth to argue, but saw the look on her mother's face and decided to give her the benefit of the doubt, probably against her better judgment. She made a sweeping motion with her hand for her mother to continue on and then waited impatiently for her mother to lecture her on how she should accept Daniel's proposal because he is the better choice.

Cora came over to sit on the bed beside Regina and fell silent as she attempted to decide where to start.

"When I was young I met a man who I fell in love with," Cora began clearing her throat uncomfortably. "I didn't realize I was in love with him for many years, but eventually as time progressed I realized that I had made a mistake. You see, the man I was in love with…you know him as Mr. Gold, and he is your father."

Regina raised an eyebrow wondering why her mother was telling her this after all of these years. She wasn't sure if she was surprised that her mother didn't look surprised that she knew who her father was. Of course, her mother knew she knew, but even though that was the case her mother would never have that _very important_ conversation with her. The conversation most mothers would have with their children when the question of their parentage was never addressed. Regina stared at her mother willing her to exclaim her surprise, but Cora gave her a wooden smile and stayed silent.

"Mother—"

"Please let me finish, Regina. I know this doesn't come as a surprise to you, but I need you to hear my side of the story. You see, Mr. Gold and I had a… relationship for quite awhile, perhaps longer than I'd like to admit. Eventually he…he decided that I needed to make a choice. Him or Leopold. I chose Leopold for obvious reasons and…well he decided he didn't want to be a part of your life. You see, Regina, I had a choice to make and for years after I regretted it immensely. I had the opportunity to be happy or have power and I chose power. I often wonder how it would've turned out if I had chosen love, and that's not a feeling I wish upon anyone. It was my own fault and yet…I spent a large time blaming others for my decision and I don't want that for you, sweetheart. So, I'm going to ask you this once…do you still love Robin?"

Regina stared at her mother not sure how to react to her story. This was the most honest her mother had ever been with her and she wasn't sure how to respond. So she decided to answer the seemly simple question she'd asked.

"Yes, I do." Regina whispered.

"Then you have your answer, sweetheart." Cora responded with a sad smile.

Regina nodded and took a deep breath feeling the proverbial weight from her chest lift as she finally spoke out loud what she really wanted.

Regina nodded once more and then got up from the bed. She headed back downstairs feeling stronger than she had in awhile. Walking straight up to Daniel she put a hand on his arm.

"Can we talk?" she asked glancing over at Leopold who was watching them with curiosity. She wanted to roll her eyes at his obliviousness, he was never in the loop about anything.

"Sure." Daniel said hesitantly.

They walked back together into the backyard where the fairy lights still twinkled from the engagement party. She put her hand back in his and gave him a sad smile.

"I can't marry you, Daniel." Regina said sadly.

"Regina, if you think we're moving too fast we can always slow down. I can put the ring away and we can—"

"It's not that, it's…I'm in love with someone else." Regina stuttered.

Daniel frowned, "what? Who? You've been gone a little over two weeks! What happened?"

"It's…I lied when I said I was coming down here to help someone with a divorce. _I_ am the one who was getting divorced." Regina revealed.

Then she began to tell him the whole sordid story of her and Robin. When she was finished they stood in silence and eventually Daniel left. She told him she'd be home soon to begin packing her things and that was the last she spoke to him.

Once Daniel was gone Regina sat on the back steps of the patio not sure what to do now. She wanted to go to Robin and reveal her true feelings, but she was scared of his rejection. Eventually, she stood up and stretched biding her time before she began to walk over to Robin's. She attempted to form some type of speech to tell him on the way over, but nothing seemed to come to mind.

Sooner rather than later she found herself in front of his door and felt the familiar butterflies in her stomach that seemed to intensify the longer she stood outside.

Finally, she rang the doorbell.

And waited.

And waited.

And rang the doorbell again.

"Who the bloody – Regina! What are you doing here?" Robin asked frowning when he saw her at the door.

She bit her lip and looked around him into his house – their house.

"I need to talk to you." She stated.

"Now? It can't wait until morning?" he asked in surprise.

She shook her head, "no, I just…can I come in?"

He nodded slowly and let her into the house. They walked into the living room and they sat down together on the couch. Silence enveloped them and Robin waited patiently for her to begin to speak.

"I…I needed to talk to you." She said again.

"I got that part." He responded dryly.

"I just…Daniel was here."

"I know."

"He proposed."

"Oh."

The silence wrapped around them as they both let that tidbit of information sink in.

"What did you say?" he asked finally.

She looked up and met his crystal blue eyes.

"I said no…that I'm in love with someone else." She admitted quietly.

He blinked and she watched as the gears seemed to circle around his head with her confession. She watched as a myriad of emotions appeared in his eyes; uncertainty, excitement, fear, and love.

"I love _you_ , Robin, I always have…I've just been too…scared to truly see it. I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for leaving. But if you'll have me I promise that this time will be different." Regina promised.

Robin looked away not knowing what to say.

She watched as he let her words sink in and she hoped against hope that he'd agree to give her a second chance.

"What are you thinking?" Regina asked after several long torturous moments of silence.

"I think… I love you too, Regina, but how is this going to work? You live in New York—"

"I'll move back here."

"What if you decide you want to leave again?"

"I don't. I know where my priorities are. I can do law in Storybrooke." She responded eagerly.

"What if you—"

"Robin, do you love me?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to be with me?"

"Yes."

"Then let's be together!" Regina exclaimed emphatically.

"It's not that simple."

"Yes—"

"No."

Regina sighed in annoyance regarding him with narrowed eyes. And then without any preamble to moved forward and placed her lips on top of his. She kissed him hard and passionately, needing him to know _how_ exactly she was feeling and _how_ desperately she needed this to work. She poured all of her emotions into the kiss and when she pulled back to gage his reaction he was reaching back for her and responding just as eagerly.

When they broke apart for air they gave each other a loving smile knowing that despite their arguments and their trepidation to give their relationship another try, in the end all they needed was each other.

(A/n: What did you think? There's the epilogue and then it's done...:( I have any idea for the epilogue but if anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear them!)


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